Mangaluru: The Dakshina Kannada District Congress Committee staged a protest near the Clock Tower on Thursday, November 5, as part of the nationwide ‘Vote Bachao – Desh Bachao’ people’s movement launched by the All India Congress Committee (AICC), accusing the BJP-led government of undermining democracy through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Addressing the gathering, District Congress Committee president Padmaraj R Poojary questioned the BJP’s position on protecting democracy, alleging that the party itself was responsible for weakening democratic institutions.
“You, the BJP, are attempting to undermine democracy. Whom are you now asking to save democracy?” he asked.
Poojary said the Congress would take its campaign to the streets to defend the rights of every citizen. He claimed that the movement had reached households across the country and that even children were becoming aware of the issue.
Congress demands withdrawal of SIR
Poojary said the Congress was committed to protecting democracy and the constitutional rights of citizens. He called on the BJP to withdraw the SIR exercise if it genuinely respected democratic principles.
“If the BJP has any respect for democracy, it should immediately withdraw the Special Intensive Revision (SIR),” he said.
Referring to the electoral rolls, Poojary claimed that records indicated that 99 lakh voters in Karnataka and 13 crore voters across the country had been excluded from the draft electoral rolls.
He also challenged the BJP to disclose how many people from Bangladesh and Pakistan had actually been identified during the electoral revision exercise.
According to Poojary, the party would work to ensure that the concerns surrounding the revision process reached every household. He alleged that the exercise was part of a larger political conspiracy that could affect the voting rights of ordinary citizens.
“The conspiracy being carried out by the BJP must be brought to the attention of every household. Our party is committed to protecting the rights of the poor,” he said.
He added that the Congress would intensify its campaign at the taluk and village levels and take its message directly to people.
Harish Kumar alleges attempt to deprive citizens of voting rights
Speaking at the protest, MESCOM chairman Harish Kumar said the Constitution had granted every adult citizen the right to vote.
However, he alleged that the Union government was attempting to deprive poor people and those opposed to the BJP of this fundamental right through the electoral revision process.
He also accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of colluding with the Union government and facilitating what he described as vote theft. Harish Kumar claimed that the alleged manipulation of electoral rolls had contributed to the formation of NDA governments in certain states.
These allegations were made by the Congress leaders during the protest and were not independently established at the event.
Party workers urged to verify electoral rolls
With Karnataka scheduled to hold Assembly elections in another two years, Harish Kumar alleged that eligible voters were being removed from electoral rolls in the name of SIR as part of an attempt to influence the electoral process.
He urged Congress workers to remain vigilant and closely monitor the electoral rolls in their respective areas.
He called on party workers to verify the names included in and excluded from the lists at every polling booth. They were also asked to identify eligible voters whose names might be missing and assist them in submitting Form 6 to seek inclusion in the electoral rolls.
He emphasised the need for booth-level vigilance to ensure that no eligible citizen was deprived of the opportunity to exercise their franchise.
The appeal was aimed at strengthening the party’s grassroots monitoring efforts ahead of the next Assembly elections.
Congress leaders participate in protest
Several senior Congress leaders and party functionaries took part in the demonstration near the Clock Tower.
Among those present were former minister Ramanath Rai, Naveen D’Souza, Mamatha Gatti, Vinayraj and Appi, along with other party workers and supporters.
The protest formed part of the AICC’s nationwide ‘Vote Bachao – Desh Bachao’ campaign, which the Congress has launched to raise concerns over the SIR process and alleged irregularities in electoral rolls.
The Mangaluru demonstration focused on the party’s demand for the protection of voting rights, transparency in electoral revisions and verification of voter lists at the grassroots level.
The Congress leaders said the campaign would continue across taluks and villages, with party workers expected to engage with residents and raise awareness about checking their names in the electoral rolls.