Mysuru: BJP MLC C T Ravi has challenged the Congress to produce evidence of alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, accusing the party of targeting the Election Commission through a smear campaign following its electoral defeats.
Addressing a BJP padayatra titled ‘Save Democracy, Eliminate Anarchy’ in Mysuru, Ravi questioned the Congress’s opposition to removing fake, deceased and duplicate voters from electoral rolls. He said revisions had been carried out during previous Congress governments as well, and asked why the party was raising objections now.
Referring to the identification of 99.32 lakh voters in Karnataka under the Absent, Shifted, Dead and Duplicate (ASD) category, Ravi said government schoolteachers and Revenue Department officials had worked as Booth Level Officers across 58,000 polling booths.
He challenged the Congress to prove its claim that at least nine lakh genuine voters had been wrongly excluded, and demanded a public apology if it failed to substantiate the allegation. He also said the party should seek action against officials if it had evidence of malpractice.
On the Congress’s criticism of EVMs, Ravi challenged its leaders to have party representatives elected through the machines resign and contest fresh elections using ballot papers.
He accused the Congress of attempting to create unrest and said changes in government should be brought about through elections, not street protests. He also criticised the state government over drought-related distress and rising prices.
BJP state president B Y Vijayendra, MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar and MLAs T S Srivatsa, N Ravikumar and Preetham Gowda were among those who participated in the march.
