Karnataka BJP to closely monitor SIR exercise in state: Vijayendra
Bengaluru: The Karnataka unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has stated that it will give greater focus to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which is likely to be conducted in February or later.
Addressing a press conference at the state party office in Bengaluru on Tuesday, Karnataka BJP President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra stated, “The BJP will give greater focus to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and will also take steps in the coming days to create awareness about the VB-G RAM G scheme.”
Vijayendra said that the party has welcomed the Election Commission of India’s decision on the Special Intensive Revision of the voters’ list. When SIR is conducted in the state in February or later, the BJP will pay special attention to it, he said.
Drawing attention to its impact in Bihar, he said that the Election Commission there had removed the names of over 65 lakh fake voters from the rolls, while in Uttar Pradesh, more than 2.5 crore fake voters had been deleted.
Talking about violence in Ballari and the shooting of a Congress worker, Vijayendra alleged that in Ballari district, a Congress MLA had misused the government machinery, led acts of hooliganism and created an atmosphere of fear.
He claimed that the MLA’s own gunman had fired a shot, resulting in the death of one of his own workers. While the family members wanted to bury the body of Rajasekhar, police had allegedly forced a cremation. He also claimed that information had emerged suggesting that the post-mortem was conducted twice.
Vijayendra further said a brutal murder of a Dalit woman had taken place in Yellapur, but the Congress-led government had not condemned the incident. No minister had visited the family to console them, he alleged.
He said he had visited Yellapur with party leaders, met the poor family members and spoke to them. While Rs 25 lakh compensation had been given to the family of a party worker who died in Ballari, he demanded that Rs 50 lakh compensation be given to the poor Dalit family.
He questioned whether the government had become so impoverished that it could not provide Rs 50 lakh compensation, noting that people in the district were raising this question. The BJP leader urged the Chief Minister to ensure justice and provide Rs 50 lakh compensation to the Dalit family.
“Since January 5, the party has been holding meetings in Bengaluru with leaders from various districts. Serial meetings have been conducted for all 39 organisational districts of the state, and meetings in about 35 districts are being completed by today, he said.
He stated that during these organisational meetings, discussions were held on the political situation in the districts, the current status of the party organisation, and strategies to strengthen the party in the upcoming Zilla Panchayat and Taluk Panchayat elections.
Vijayendra alleged that Congress leaders were indulging in misinformation about the VB-G RAM G scheme and said the Congress-led government in the state was in a state of frustration.
The government, which had been living under the illusion of guarantees, was now realising the truth, he said, adding that public sentiment in the state was increasingly turning against the government.
Fearing this, the Congress had postponed Zilla Panchayat and Taluk Panchayat elections and had allegedly hatched a conspiracy to spread propaganda, with Rahul Gandhi and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah claiming that Mahatma Gandhi had been “killed for the second time” by the NDA government at the Centre through changes to MGNREGA. He said the party had instructed district-level meetings to successfully carry out awareness programmes against this propaganda from district headquarters down to the rural level, he said.
Senior leaders, including former Chief Ministers B.S. Yediyurappa, D.V. Sadananda Gowda, Jagadish Shettar and Basavaraj Bommai, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, and leaders R. Ashok, Govind Karjol, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy and C.T. Ravi, had all actively participated. This had boosted the morale of party workers and leaders, he said.
Vijayendra said that a recent core committee meeting had discussed launching a people’s movement at various levels against the Congress-led government, which he alleged had lost public trust and popularity and had completely failed to implement its election promises. Law and order in the state had completely deteriorated, and the hooliganism witnessed in Ballari was a clear example of this, he said.
Vijayendra objected to the lack of action against a Congress worker from Bantwal, identified as Sandesh, who had posted a condolence tweet against BJP Dalit MLA from Sullia constituency, Bhagirathi Murulya. Despite complaints by BJP workers, police officials were citing some technical reasons and not taking legal action, he alleged.
He questioned whether it was right for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who claimed to represent the AHINDA communities, to remain silent when Dalits were being insulted in Karnataka. Regardless of party affiliation, he asked why police were unable to take strict action when a Dalit woman MLA was insulted.
Vijayendra also criticised the state Home Minister for not raising concerns about law and order, alleging that the minister lacked information.
He said the Deputy Chief Minister had visited Ballari and held meetings with police officers, and that even H.D. Kumaraswamy had raised questions on the issue. Taking all these matters together, he announced a call for a massive protest in Ballari on January 17, in which former Chief Ministers and senior party leaders would participate.
The BJP leader said the party had decided to launch protests at various levels thereafter. A protest would be held in Bagalkot against what he termed the Congress government’s betrayal of farmers, with the date to be announced soon.
He criticised ministers for allegedly providing incorrect information in the Assembly during the Belagavi winter session regarding the Gruha Laxmi scheme, and said that even now the Chief Minister and ministers had not given proper answers on the issue of Rs 5,000 crore.
Vijayendra questioned where the money had gone and whether it had been misused. He announced that a massive protest would be organised in Hubballi in the coming days, highlighting the Gruha Lakshmi scheme and what he called the government’s failures.
He further alleged that there was no check on gambling and matka rackets and that corruption and bribery had reached alarming levels, claiming that police officers had to pay crores in bribes to secure postings. Despite all this, the government was boasting of having fulfilled its promises, he said.
He added that the party leadership had decided to launch protests at various levels against the government’s style of governance, lack of people-oriented schemes, stalled development, rampant corruption and deteriorating law and order.
Former Chief Minister and MP Jagadish Shettar and former Deputy Chief Minister and MP Govind Karjol were present at the press conference.