'Those opposing SIR fear removal of bogus voters': Yatnal hits Congress
Expelled BJP MLA Basanagouda Yatnal defends CEC Gyanesh Kumar, claiming the SIR process is cleaning bogus voters from rolls.
In a scathing attack on the Congress party, expelled BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal has defended Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that the opposition's demand for his resignation stems from a fear of losing "bogus voters." Speaking to reporters in Hubballi, Yatnal claimed that the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is a vital exercise to ensure transparency and clean up voter lists across India.
Cleaning the Voter Lists
Yatnal asserted that the SIR process is actively identifying and removing fraudulent entries, including duplicate voters, individuals registered at multiple polling booths, and those who are deceased. He maintained that CEC Gyanesh Kumar is working with utmost transparency to safeguard the integrity of the democratic process.
"Those who are demanding the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner are from the Congress party," Yatnal stated. He further claimed that the revision process has been instrumental in removing illegal entries, citing instances involving Rohingyas, Bangladeshis, and bogus voters in West Bengal.
The Vijayapura Example
To illustrate the effectiveness of the SIR, the BJP leader pointed to the Vijayapura Assembly constituency. He noted a significant reduction in the number of registered voters following the revision process.
- Before SIR: Approximately 2.25 lakh voters.
- After SIR: Approximately 2.10 lakh voters.
Yatnal emphasized that the current voter count of 2.10 lakh aligns with the figures seen in the previous election, which he presented as proof that the cleaning process is working. He reassured citizens that the process is not arbitrary, noting that any voter who believes their name has been wrongly deleted can submit forms for verification. These objections are then reviewed by district magistrates or concerned election officers to provide justification.
Accusations of 'Vote Theft'
The political row follows reports suggesting that Election Commissioners Vivek Joshi and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu had recorded multiple objections regarding decisions related to the SIR and other electoral matters over the last ten months.
Yatnal did not mince words when criticizing Congress leadership, specifically targeting Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi. He described the CEC as an "invaluable asset" to the nation and accused the Congress party of being the original architects of "vote theft" in India.
Drawing a historical parallel, Yatnal referenced the Congress presidential election of 1946-47, alleging that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had received more support than Jawaharlal Nehru. "Vote theft was not done by Modi ji. Vote theft was not done by Atal Bihari Vajpayee or Morarji Desai. Congress is the party that started vote theft in India," he concluded.