KPCC President B.K. Hariprasad has said that the Congress is not opposed to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), but is against the alleged conspiracy hatched by the RSS and BJP to remove names of genuine voters from the list of electors. He called on party workers to foil the conspiracy.

On June 25, he inaugurated the ‘SIR Awareness Convention’ organised by Hubballi Dharwad Urban District and Dharwad Rural District units of the Congress, at Babu Jagjivan Ram Sabhabhavana in Hubballi.

Mr. Hariprasad said, “India belongs to everyone, and it is not the property of any one person. We should not allow BJP’s conspiracy to be successful. For the next two-three months Congress legislators, leaders and workers should actively participate in SIR-related activities.”

He said that ‘the RSS was never part of the freedom struggle, and the organisation always wanted power to be vested with only a few with the remaining people to serve as their slaves’. “Now, the RSS has resorted to the undemocratic act of keeping all the power with itself,” he alleged.

Clarifying that the Congress is not opposed to SIR, he said that the party is against removal of names of genuine voters on the pretext of mapping. “People should understand that they would receive government scheme benefits only if their names are in the electoral rolls.”

Former chairperson of Karnataka Legislative Council V.R. Sudarshan alleged that BJP leaders were misusing the Election Commission of India for their benefit. “The officials should remember that retaining genuine voters is their duty. People too should be aware of their voting rights, and also concerned about retaining and exercising them. The party workers, office-bearers and also legislators should keep an eye on this exercise,” he said.

Mr. Sudarshan asked booth level agents (BLA- 1&2) to visit each household from June 30. “The draft electoral roll will be released in August. If genuine voters have been left out, objections should be filed immediately. In every segment, services of separate advocates should be availed for the purpose. Up to 10 objections could be filed in a day. Along with BLOs, BLAs-2 should attend workshops,” he explained.

Former minister Santosh Lad alleged that well-wishers of the Congress were being identified through social media by using AI technology, and they would be removed from the electoral rolls. “So everyone should be careful,” he said.

Mr. Lad contended that by linking Aadhaar card with EPICs, voter duplication could be avoided, but it was not being done. He emphasised the need for party workers to actively participate in the exercise.

Hubballi Dharwad East MLA Prasad Abbayya alleged that Congress well-wishers were being systematically removed in 90 Assembly segments. “Everyone should be careful about it. BJP, which came to power earlier through covert means, was clever enough to implement another similar ploy to come back to power,” he said.

Navalgund MLA N.H. Konaraddi said that the BJP is hellbent on destroying the base of the Congress, and it is important that the BLAs understand their responsibilities thoroughly.

Congress legislators Srinivas Mane, Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan, U.B. Banakar, F.H. Jakkappanavar, former ministers A.M. Hindasageri and Basavaraj Shivannavar, former legislators B.R. Yavagal, M.S. Akki, Kusumavati Shivalli, and host of leaders from Belagavi division attended the convention.