'We Will Not Sit Quietly': BJP Threatens Agitation Over Arrests
BJP Leader R Ashoka threatens massive agitation if police arrest party workers under pressure from the CM.
In a high-stakes political confrontation, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has issued a stern warning to the Karnataka government, declaring that they will launch massive protests if party workers are arrested by the police. The Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R Ashoka, made the fiery declaration on Saturday following a memorandum submitted to the State Director General of Police.
Allegations of Police Misuse
Addressing the media, R Ashoka accused the Congress-led government of using the police department as a tool to target political opponents. He specifically pointed toward the Chief Minister, alleging that law enforcement is being pressured to file First Information Reports (FIRs) against BJP members.
"If police stations become Congress offices by yielding to the pressure of Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, we will not sit quietly," Ashoka warned. He further cautioned that if inspectors or Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) take action against BJP workers in connection with the ongoing electoral roll controversy, the party will launch direct sieges on those police stations.
Controversy Over Electoral Rolls
The tension stems from disputes regarding the revision of electoral rolls. Ashoka dismissed claims that the current administration is the sole driver of voter list changes, noting that adding and deleting names has been a standard administrative process since Independence. He accused the Congress party of a selective approach to election integrity.
"Congress follows a policy that the Election Commission is right when they win and wrong when they lose," Ashoka remarked, taking a jab at the Chief Minister's previous protests at the Election Commission office.
The 'Bangladeshis' Allegation and Future Protests
The BJP leader escalated his rhetoric by accusing the state government of attempting to manipulate demographics within the voter lists. He alleged a massive attempt to include 25 lakh Bangladeshis in the electoral rolls, a claim the BJP intends to fight through large-scale public demonstrations.
As the political temperature rises in Karnataka, the BJP has made it clear that they will not be intimidated by legal actions or complaints sent to Delhi. The party has vowed that any attempt to arrest their workers will be met with immediate and widespread agitation across the state.