Bengaluru, July 30 (IANS) Karnataka BJP on Thursday alleged that a booth supervisor appointed by the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) was assaulted in communally sensitive D.J. Halli locality in Bengaluru after allegedly refusing to include “illegal Bangladeshi and Pakistani nationals” in the electoral rolls, and demanded the resignation of Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge over the incident.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP state headquarters, Jagannath Bhavan in Bengaluru, BJP Bengaluru North District President S. Harish alleged that Fakirappa, a booth supervisor assigned to D.J. Halli ward in Pulakeshinagar Assembly constituency under the Bengaluru North Lok Sabha segment, was attacked by a group of eight people.
According to Harish, local people had allegedly pressured Fakirappa to add persons “illegally residing in the ward” to the voters’ list. “Fakirappa refused, stating that they were illegal immigrants and could not be included in the electoral rolls without valid documents. It was for this reason that he was assaulted,” Harish alleged.
He further claimed that Fakirappa suffered injuries to his teeth and lips in the attack and was admitted to a hospital for treatment. “He is now frightened and is not traceable. There is pressure from local leaders and others not to make the matter public,” Harish alleged.
The BJP leader accused the government of shielding the accused instead of ensuring the safety of government officials. He demanded adequate protection for all Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and Booth Level Agents (BLAs) involved in electoral work.
Harish also linked the incident to previous attacks on civic officials in Bengaluru, including assaults on personnel engaged in clearing footpath encroachments in Shivajinagar. He alleged that the state government had repeatedly failed to protect public servants.
Harish alleged that individuals involved in the 2020 D.J. Halli violence were behind the attack on Fakirappa and accused the government of extending protection to them.
It can be noted that at least three people were killed and over 50 injured in the violence in D.J. Halli and K.G. Halli, allegedly due to a derogatory social media post by a relative of then Pulakeshinagar Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivas Murthy in Aug 2020. The MLA’s house and K.G. Halli police station were torched.
Demanding Home Minister Priyank Kharge’s resignation on moral grounds, Harish said, “If the government cannot protect its own officials from being attacked in broad daylight, how will it protect ordinary citizens?”
–IANS
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