BENGALURU: Karnataka Leader of Opposition R Ashoka on Saturday urged DGP M A Saleem to stop registering criminal cases against BJP leaders and workers over Form-7 applications seeking the deletion of allegedly ineligible voters from electoral rolls during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
Submitting a memorandum to the DGP, Ashoka alleged that the Congress government was pressuring the police to take action against BJP workers. He maintained that filing Form-7 applications to seek deletion of ineligible names from electoral rolls was a legal right.
"Submitting Form 7 is not a crime. It is the Election Commission, not the police station, that has to determine the truth and validity of a voter," Ashoka told reporters.
His remarks came amid a political row over the alleged misuse of Form-7 during the Special Intensive Revision exercise.
Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and his Cabinet colleagues had on Thursday met Chief Electoral Officer V Anbukkumar and complained about the alleged misuse of Form-7 applications to delete voters from the electoral rolls.
Form 7 is an application form for filing objections to the proposed inclusion or deletion of a name from the existing electoral rolls.
Shivakumar and the ministers had sat on the steps of the CEO's office, saying they would not leave until a favourable decision was taken on their demand to check the alleged misuse.
He had accused the BJP of targeting minorities, Dalits and Scheduled Tribes through Form-7 applications and alleged that some people were filing applications on behalf of others to get their names deleted.
The BJP staged a protest at the Bengaluru Police Commissioner's office, seeking registration of an FIR over the Congress ministers' demonstration. Shivakumar subsequently rejected the charge that he had staged a protest without permission, saying he had only sat there while seeking a favourable response to his memorandum.
Ashoka accused the Congress government of trying to turn police stations into "Congress stations" by pressuring the police to register cases against BJP workers.
"The Election Commission has provided Form 7. If there is no authority to submit Form 7, why was the form printed in the first place? It is also available online and on the app. The Election Commission itself has said that people can access it online," he said.
He alleged that the Congress was opposing Form-7 applications because deletion of allegedly ineligible voters could affect its electoral prospects, citing the Kogilu area in Bengaluru as an example.
Ashoka claimed that applications had earlier been made to include more than 300 families of alleged Bangladeshi immigrants in the voter list in the area.
"Congress, fearing that it will lose in the next election and in several places, is trying to devise a conspiracy to add these Bangladeshis to the voter lists," he alleged.
Ashoka hit out at Shivakumar over his statement that he had not staged a protest at the CEO's office, claiming that the CM's own social media post referred to the demonstration.
"How can you now say that you did not stage a protest? Your own official tweet says that you were staging a protest. What more evidence do the police need?" he asked.
He warned that the BJP would launch further protests if action was taken against its leaders and workers for filing Form-7 applications.
"We will neither bow down nor back off. If lawful action is not taken, we will launch further protests," Ashoka said.
He warned police and officials against allegedly misusing their authority, saying they would have to face the consequences if they acted contrary to law.
"We have come to urge the DGP to act impartially and strictly according to the law. He should do what the law provides and should not act against the law," he said.
Ashoka said the BJP would take the issue to the "people's court" if the police did not act according to law.
On another issue, he said he and BJP state president B Y Vijayendra would visit districts where farmers had allegedly suffered due to government policies and where farmer suicides had been reported.
"In the first phase, the two Leaders of Opposition will go to Chikkaballapur, Doddaballapur, Ramanagara, Mandya, Mysuru and Chamarajanagar," he said, adding that other districts, including Gadag and Raichur, would be covered in the second phase.
Ashoka also urged the state government to provide detailed statistics to the central team that has arrived to assess the situation, including the extent of damage, drinking water problems and the financial assistance required under the National Disaster Response Force. norms.