The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) being conducted by the Election Commission and the RSS-BJP’s politics came up during the programme organised by the ruling Congress to mark the formal takeover of the KPCC president’s post by senior leader B.K. Hariprasad.

“If we do not come to power in the next election, there is no future for the country. RSS and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are destroying the country. This is impacting the lives of youth and women. Mr. Modi’s style of functioning resembles those who have ruled for several thousand years, and the RSS is supporting him. People with RSS background are being pushed into jobs, including teachers,” said Congress president Mallikarjun M. Kharge.

“One day or the other, Modi’s government will fall. If Mr. Modi is destroying India, U.S. President Donald Trump is destroying the world,” he said and urged party workers to protect the voting rights of people.

Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar was more vocal when he asked everyone to fill up the enumeration form and submit it to the BLOs to ensure their votes remain intact. He pointed out that 91 lakh voters had been deleted in West Bengal and 64 lakh voters in Tamil Nadu.

KPCC president B.K. Hariprasad said that though the Constitution allows the practice of any religion, the BJP indulges in religion-based politics. “The BJP, after coming to power, has not left any regional parties. It is going to demolish all regional parties, which the Congress has not done. In fact, regional parties emerged during the Congress regime,” he said.

Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the BJP, in the name of culture, caste and religion, is trying to divide the country. “Bahutva character of the country is being destroyed. It is imperative to respect and protect the Bahutva.

Kharge gets angry

Raising slogans by a section of the crowd during the event riled Congress president Mallikarjun M. Kharge, who became visibly angry during his speech. “If you shout here, do you think you will control the country? Useless fellows,” he said when a section of the gathering raised slogans for Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who tried to intervene and stop the sloganeering.

He threatened to use the footage to initiate disciplinary action. “This is a Congress party meeting and not any individual’s meeting. This is a function to unite all. Have all others come here to sweep if one section says something and another section says something else?” he asked.

Insisting on discipline in the party, he said: “There is no scope for hero worship, no matter how big a leader is. I have seen ups and downs in my 58 years of political career. Many leaders have become leaders because of the Congress. Even though their contribution to the party is less, the Congress has given them strength. That is why be patient. This is our meeting to strengthen the party.”

5-member guarantee panel in each panchayat

As the State government reviews its guarantee schemes to plug leakages, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Sunday said that a five-member guarantee committee would be set up at the gram panchayat and ward levels to scrutinise the documents of beneficiaries.

“I have discussed the formation of these guarantee committees with party seniors. All sections will be represented in the committee,” he said, adding that thousands of party workers had been accommodated in the guarantee committees, even though it had not been possible to provide positions of power to many of them.

He said guarantee committees would be established in 7,000 gram panchayats and 4,000 wards.