Bengaluru, 04 Oct (H.S.):Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge has accused the BJP and RSS of manipulating the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to exclude Scheduled Caste and minority voters, alleging that the Election Commission was allowing the exercise to proceed with improper motives.

Calling the process a “Sangh Intensive Revision”, Kharge alleged that the BJP and RSS were behaving like spokespersons for the Election Commission rather than political organisations participating in a transparent electoral exercise.

He said the Karnataka government had extended institutional support to election authorities to ensure transparency and help citizens understand the revision process. The government had also supported publicity campaigns and published advertisements jointly with election officials to raise public awareness, he added.

“We have fully supported the election authorities and the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer in every effort required to ensure complete transparency in the SIR,” Kharge said.

Despite this cooperation, he alleged, the revision was being conducted with ulterior motives and with the knowledge of the Election Commission of India.

Citing figures on exclusions, Kharge claimed that more than 1.08 crore names in Karnataka had been left out of the electoral rolls. He further said notices citing “logical discrepancies” had been issued to 43.8 lakh people whose names appeared on the existing lists.

Kharge alleged that BJP leaders were invoking the same grounds to seek the deletion of names in bulk. He questioned whether the party viewed the revision as an exercise in purging the electoral rolls.

“This is not a Special Intensive Revision. It is a ‘Sangh Intensive Revision’ being carried out by the RSS,” he alleged.

Questioning why Scheduled Caste and minority voters were being targeted, Kharge maintained that the government’s support for the revision was intended to promote transparency. His remarks centred on alleged exclusions and the grounds cited for issuing notices.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman