Bengaluru, Oct 2 (IANS): Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy on Friday accused the Congress government in Karnataka of hypocrisy over its protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging that the ruling party had itself committed widespread irregularities during the initial stages of the exercise.
In a statement, Kumaraswamy said it was “shameful” that the Congress party was now speaking against irregularities in the SIR process. He also criticised Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and his Cabinet colleagues for staging a protest on the streets instead of attending the Cabinet meeting.
He demanded that the police immediately register cases against Congress leaders who, he alleged, had disrupted traffic and caused inconvenience to the public by staging the protest.
“Congress unnecessarily making a commotion over ‘vote theft’ is like the Bhagavad Gita coming from the mouth of a demon,” Kumaraswamy said.
He alleged that Congress workers had gathered in large numbers at various places, including marriage halls, community halls and houses, during the electoral roll revision process.
“We have seen them gathering people in groups at marriage halls, community halls, houses and various other places and getting the electoral rolls revised. The Janata Dal (Secular) had complained to the Election Commission against this. Later, all the leaders of the NDA alliance also approached the Commission and submitted a complaint,” he said.
Kumaraswamy said the government had remained silent when the complaints were submitted, but was now raising the issue of alleged irregularities in the SIR process.
“Despite this, the Congress leaders who committed irregularities themselves are now repeatedly talking about ‘irregularities’. The government remained silent when we submitted complaints, and is speaking now. They have started this drama after their leaders in Delhi put pressure on them,” he alleged.
Kumaraswamy also alleged that Chief Minister Shivakumar had brought the SIR issue to the forefront to divert public attention from allegations concerning the Bengaluru-Mysuru Infrastructure Corridor (NICE) project.
He said that three days earlier, he had held a press conference on the NICE project and made allegations, supported by documents, against the Chief Minister and his family members regarding the alleged acquisition of project land in collusion with the company.
“While this issue is being widely discussed politically and publicly, the Chief Minister has brought the SIR issue to the forefront to divert people’s attention,” Kumaraswamy alleged.
He said the alleged irregularities were evident and did not require further proof.
Kumaraswamy concluded by reiterating his criticism of the Congress government and used the hashtag “CongressFailsKarnataka” in his statement.
It can be recalled that CM Shivakumar on Thursday staged a dharna at the Chief Electoral Officer’s office in Bengaluru, demanding the registration of a criminal case and a probe into the alleged conspiracy to delete eligible voters’ names through Form 7 applications.
After the protest, Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer V. Anbukumar directed Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) across the state to take action against applicants found to have knowingly made false declarations while filing claims and objections related to electoral rolls.
