Mangaluru: Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya accused the Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi of attempting to weaken public confidence in India’s electoral system through what he described as a sustained campaign against electronic voting machines (EVMs) and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Speaking at a BJP public meeting in Mangaluru on Friday, November 6, Surya alleged that the Congress had been pursuing this campaign for the past two-and-a-half to three years with the intention of creating distrust in the country’s election process.
He also alleged that certain forces were attempting to trigger political unrest and a regime-change movement in India similar to developments witnessed in Bangladesh and Nepal.
Questions Congress over EVM allegations
Surya questioned the Congress’s criticism of EVMs and challenged the party to explain why it accepted election results when it won in states such as Karnataka, Telangana and Kerala, but raised concerns about EVMs after losing elsewhere.
He asked whether EVMs had been free from alleged defects when the BJP won the 2014, 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections, securing three consecutive victories.
He also questioned the Congress’s criticism of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, asking who should be held responsible for the party’s electoral defeats since 2014, before Kumar assumed the post.
Surya referred to the Congress’s electoral record and claimed that it had lost around 95 elections during this period. He argued that the party could not attribute its electoral setbacks solely to the functioning of EVMs or the appointment of the current Chief Election Commissioner.
Raises questions over SIR process
The BJP MP also defended the history of intensive electoral-roll revisions in the country. He said that 12 SIR exercises had been conducted in India so far, of which 11 took place under Congress governments.
Questioning the Congress’s opposition to the current exercise, Surya asked why the party was objecting to the process when, according to him, the rules followed in earlier revisions continued to apply.
He challenged the Congress to explain whether the previous exercises conducted under its own governments were also considered objectionable.
His remarks came amid an ongoing political disagreement between the BJP and the Congress over the SIR exercise, the role of the Election Commission and allegations concerning the integrity of electoral rolls.
BJP holds padayatra from Clock Tower to Kadri
Before the public meeting, BJP workers took out a large padayatra from the Clock Tower area in Mangaluru to Kadri Maidan.
The rally and public meeting were organised by the BJP Mangaluru division under the campaign slogan “Prajaprabhutva Ulisi, Arajakate Alisi” (Save Democracy, Eradicate Anarchy).
The programme brought together BJP leaders and workers from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. Union Minister of State Suresh Gopi and other party leaders also participated in the gathering.
The campaign focused on the BJP’s criticism of the Congress over EVM-related allegations, the SIR process and questions surrounding public confidence in electoral institutions.
Surya’s address formed part of the party’s effort to challenge the Congress’s position on these issues. His statements reflected the BJP’s political arguments in the ongoing debate, while the Congress has separately raised concerns about the electoral-roll revision process and the functioning of election institutions.