Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 3 : Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra on Saturday demanded the withdrawal of cases registered against BJP workers who submitted Form-7 applications during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging that the cases were filed under political pressure.
Vijayendra made the remarks after leading a BJP delegation that met Karnataka Director General and Inspector General of Police M.A. Saleem in Bengaluru and submitted a memorandum seeking that complaints related to Form-7 applications be dealt with strictly according to law and without political interference.
Vijayendra said Form-7 is an Election Commission-prescribed mechanism through which objections can be raised against names in the electoral roll that are alleged to be ineligible, duplicated or otherwise included in violation of the rules.
He alleged that BJP workers who submitted such applications were being targeted through police cases after Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and other ministers protested before the Election Commission over alleged misuse of Form-7.
"We will not sit quietly. We are ready to go to any extent to protect our workers. The cases registered unjustly must be withdrawn. Otherwise, we will have to launch a protest, including demonstrations in front of police stations," Vijayendra said.
The BJP state president also accused the state government of attempting to use the police department for political purposes and demanded that the cases against party workers be withdrawn.
"The Chief Minister is trying to indulge in goondaism and dadagiri... But power does not belong to anyone's father's house. The misuse of power must stop," Vijayendra said.
He warned that the BJP would launch a statewide agitation if the government continued with what he alleged was political interference in the matter.
"Protecting our workers is our responsibility. If the cases against them are not withdrawn, we will intensify our statewide agitation," he said.
The BJP delegation that met the DGP-IGP included former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, Vijayendra, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, besides MPs, MLAs and MLCs.
Mahalakshmi Layout MLA K. Gopalaiah and other BJP legislators were also part of the delegation.
The BJP's demand comes amid a wider political dispute in Karnataka over the use of Form-7 during the ongoing SIR exercise. Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has alleged attempts to use Form-7 applications to seek deletion of eligible voters, while the BJP has rejected the allegations and maintained that submitting Form-7 applications is a legitimate part of the electoral-roll process.
The Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer has directed election officials to initiate legal action against those who knowingly submit false claims or objections in electoral-roll applications, including Form-7.
Police cases have been registered in different parts of Karnataka over allegations of attempts to use Form-7 applications to delete voter names, with investigations underway.