Kumaraswamy accuses Congress govt of manipulating Karnataka SIR, seeks EC action

Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Thursday (July 2) accused the Congress government in Karnataka of manipulating the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging large-scale irregularities in Ramanagara district and demanding action against the officials responsible.

He alleged that the Congress government was systematically undermining the integrity of the SIR process not just in Ramanagara, but across Karnataka.

Kumaraswamy alleges voter scam

Claiming that a "massive scam" has surfaced in the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls in Ramanagara district, Kumaraswamy produced what he claimed was video evidence and urged the Election Commission of India to intervene.

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Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, he said the "blatant irregularities" taking place in Ramanagara are proof of how the entire exercise is being subverted. "The Ramanagara Deputy Commissioner must be suspended immediately, and all officials who have failed in their duty must be removed from service," he said.

Citing video evidence, Kumaraswamy further alleged that thousands of fraudulent voters, including illegal Bangladeshi migrants were being provided with fabricated documentation through the direct influence of the Chief Minister’s office.

"I urge the Election Commission of India to intervene immediately and put an end to this illegal exercise," he said.

Fresh allegations against Congress

He further alleged that over 25 lakh Bangladeshi nationals were living in Karnataka for the last four to five years under the protection of the Congress government and claimed that more than 10,000 of them were residing in Ramanagara only.

Kumarswamy alleged that attempts were being made to include such persons in the voters' list illegally through the ongoing SIR process. "These videos reveal the disturbing state of our democracy. The very party that parades the Constitution in its hands is now undermining its spirit. By instilling fear among people that they will lose their guarantee benefits, the Congress is running an organised racket," he alleged.

The JD(S) leader alleged that while the prescribed procedure requires BLOs to conduct door-to-door verification, thousands of people were instead assembled at a community hall in Tippu Nagar under the influence of the CM, where the SIR process was being conducted en masse.

"This is nothing short of a systematic conspiracy to facilitate illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators, individuals who pose a threat to national security by creating documents that would eventually enable them to secure voting rights," he alleged.

Shivakumar accused of interference

Kumaraswamy also criticised the Chief Minister DK Shivakumar for allegedly politicising the exercise, saying the SIR process appears to have begun from the chief minister’s own residence.

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"As the head of the government, he (Shivakumar) should have appealed to the people to cooperate with the exercise in accordance with established procedures. Instead, people are being intimidated with warnings that they will lose government benefits if they are not included in the electoral rolls. Such conduct is unbecoming of a chief minister," he said.

Kumaraswamy asserted that he would not remain silent over what he described as an "assault on democracy".

"I will submit all the video evidence and supporting material to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Election Commission of India. The Commission must intervene immediately, suspend the ongoing SIR process, and take stringent action, including the suspension of all officials responsible for these illegalities," he demanded.

(With agency inputs)