BELAGAVI: Karnataka Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi has clarified that his recent remarks on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls were misconstrued, asserting that he had not endorsed the exercise in Karnataka.
In a post on social media platform X, Satish said he had not claimed that the SIR process was conducted properly in Karnataka. Rather, he intended to convey that, unlike in some other states, the Congress had successfully thwarted the BJP’s alleged attempts to delete the names of Congress supporters from electoral rolls through Form 7 applications.
He said the efforts to prevent the deletion of eligible voters’ names were successful under the leadership of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the guidance of Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.
Satish also pointed out that the campaign against the alleged attempts to remove eligible voters from the electoral rolls was launched from Belagavi district.
Reiterating his stand, the minister said he had consistently opposed any attempt to deprive eligible citizens of their voting rights through the illegal deletion of their names from electoral rolls.
Urging the media and the public to understand the full context of his earlier statement, Satish said there was no change in his position on protecting the voting rights of eligible citizens.
Satish said that the time was not yet ripe for anointing a successor to the leadership of the AHINDA (minorities, backward classes and Dalits) movement, asserting that differences over organising separate conventions would not affect the unity of the community.
“Though there may be a hundred different paths, our goal is one. AHINDA blood will always remain one,” he said while responding to questions from reporters about former CM Siddaramaiah and Minister HC Mahadevappa reportedly planning separate AHINDA conventions.
Satish said that he was not invited to the meeting held on Thursday and hence did not attend it. He, however, stressed that all leaders remained united on the larger objective of the AHINDA movement.
“Whoever takes up the leadership becomes the AHINDA leader. Siddaramaiah had led it earlier. Let us wait and see what happens next. But the time has not yet come to anoint a successor to the AHINDA leadership,” he said.
Ruling out speculation about a Dalit CM or a third CM in Karnataka, Satish said there was no discussion on the issue within the party.
On the sting operation row, the minister said, “I have no information suggesting that Congress leaders were involved. I do not think our party leaders were behind it,” he said, adding that the issue had not been discussed at the Cabinet meeting.
