Bengaluru, Oct 8 (IANS) Karnataka Home Minister, Priyank Kharge, on Thursday accused the Centre of attempting to destabilise the Congress government in the state through agencies such as the CBI, Income Tax Department and Enforcement Directorate, besides sting operations, alleging that such tactics were part of the BJP’s Standard Operating Procedure.
Responding to a question on whether Congress leaders, MLAs and ministers feared being targeted through sting operations, Kharge said the Centre was desperate to dislodge the Karnataka government because of the BJP’s inefficient and ineffective leadership in the state.
The issue of possible sting operations targeting Congress ministers came to the forefront after Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar expressed apprehension at a Cabinet meeting that the BJP and JD(S) could target ministers and conduct sting operations against them.
Speaking to the media in Bengaluru, he alleged that the BJP had adopted similar tactics in Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Maharashtra and Goa, but asserted that neither he nor his colleagues were guilty of any wrongdoing or involved in such activities.
On the controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the alleged misuse of Form-7 applications, HM Kharge said the demand for accountability was not limited to the Congress party but was shared by people across the country.
He claimed that BJP leaders were submitting false Form-7 applications to seek the deletion of voters’ names by declaring living persons dead. He said some people had approached the authorities to establish that they were alive and demanded that cases be registered against those responsible.
HM Kharge also referred to reports of displacement notices being served on BJP National General Secretary (Organisation), B.L. Santhosh, and said the SIR exercise had raised concerns even among political leaders and public representatives.
He alleged that the process was being used to protect the ruling dispensation at the Centre and demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Questioning Kumar’s absence from public briefings on the controversy, Kharge asked why he was not addressing the media and answering questions about the electoral revision process. He said Kumar had previously held press conferences to criticise the Congress and should now explain the issues surrounding SIR.
Kharge alleged that the revision process was exclusionary in nature and questioned how pre-printed Form-7 applications containing voters’ names, Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers, addresses and reasons for proposed deletion were being generated across the country.
He said the availability of such detailed forms indicated access to machine-readable electoral rolls and questioned how political leaders and BJP workers were obtaining them when booth-level functionaries themselves found it difficult to examine voter lists.
Kharge also pointed out that applicants submitting Form-7 had to declare that the information provided was true and could face imprisonment of up to one year or a fine if the declaration was found to be false. He demanded accountability for allegedly submitting incorrect information to seek voter deletions.
Responding to the BJP’s repeated allegations that the Congress was spreading misinformation, Kharge questioned why the party was defending the Election Commission instead of allowing the poll body to respond directly.
He demanded that Gyanesh Kumar hold an open press conference and answer questions, adding that the Chief Election Commissioner should clarify the allegations surrounding the electoral revision exercise.
On Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy’s allegations against him, Kharge said the former Karnataka Chief Minister should maintain dignity while making public statements. He criticised Kumaraswamy for allegedly making claims without evidence and asked him to exercise restraint, considering his position as a Union Minister and former Chief Minister.
On the arrests in the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitment scam, Kharge asserted that the investigation would expose the involvement of the commission’s chairman and some BJP leaders. He reiterated that he had previously pointed to BJP leaders’ involvement in the matter and said his allegations were based on documents and evidence.
Kharge said that over the past 10 years, he had not raised issues without supporting proof and challenged the BJP to compare its allegations against him with the allegations he had made against the Opposition.
Dismissing the BJP’s repeated claims that his political career would suffer, HM Kharge said the Opposition had repeatedly predicted that his political fortunes would decline but had itself suffered setbacks.
On the proposed protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in Bengaluru, Kharge said he was not a spokesperson for the organisers and that anyone was free to protest. As Home Minister, he said, his responsibility was to ensure a conducive environment for peaceful demonstrations in accordance with the Constitution.
He added that those wishing to protest could submit an application and would be provided the necessary protection.
–IANS
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