Bengaluru has become epicentre of terror activities: BJP MP Tejasvi Surya
New Delhi: Bengaluru has become an epicentre of terror activities, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya claimed on Sunday and said he had requested Union Home Minister Amit Shah to set up a permanent division of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the city.
A day after becoming the president of the BJP's youth wing, Surya said many terror modules have been busted in Bengaluru, the Silicon Valley of India, in the recent past. The terrorist groups want to use the city as an "incubation centre" for terror activities.
Surya said he had met Shah at the latter's residence two days ago and emphasised the need to have a well-equipped and sufficiently staffed NIA office to mitigate terror-related activities in Karnataka.
"The Home Minister has assured that he will direct officials to establish a permanent station house manned by an officer of the rank of the SP at the earliest," Surya said.
"In last few years, Bengaluru, the Silicon Valley of India, has become epicentre of terror activities. It has been proved through many arrests and sleeper terror cells busted by the investigative agency in the city," Surya, who represents Bengaluru South in Lok Sabha, told reporters here.
"It is a matter of grave concern that NIA investigations into the DJ Halli and KG Halli mob violence in August have indicated that many terrorist organisations are using Bengaluru as their incubation centre for carrying out anti-India activities, he said.
Over 3,000 people went on a rampage on August 11 torching the residences of Congress MLA R Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy, his sister Jayanthi and DJ Halli and KG Halli halli police stations in Bengaluru.
The violence broke out over an alleged inflammatory social media post by the nephew of the Congress MLA.
Surya said there are reports that the NIA does not have sufficient infrastructure and human resources for conducting investigations. The NIA is currently operating with skeletal staff and that too from Hyderabad with only a camp office in Bengaluru.
Bengaluru being the financial nerve centre of south India, it is vital to keep the city safe from all terrorist and anti-India organisations and their activity, he added.
On his new responsibility as the head of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), Surya said his first visit will be to poll-bound Bihar to interact and meet the party's youth wing volunteers.
"Yuva Morcha will nurture more grassroots leadership across the country. A young karyakarta (worker) like me has been given the responsibility of the national youth wing of the world's largest political party in the world's biggest democracy and in the world's youngest country. This is possible only in the BJP," he said.
Underlining that BJYM will continue to be a platform for all youngsters of the country, Surya said he feels the strongest leaders come from weakest sections of the society. And he wants to ensure that BJYM will be their platform.
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Karnataka electoral roll SIR exercise to begin from June 20
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka will begin SIR of electoral rolls from June 20 as part of a nationwide exercise covering 16 states and three Union territories, CEO Anbu Kumar said on Friday.
The drive will cover more than 5.55 crore electors in the state, he said.
As per the schedule notified by the Election Commission (EC), preparation, training and printing activities will be carried out from June 20 to June 29 and Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will conduct house-to-house visits from June 30 to July 29.
The rationalisation of polling stations is scheduled to be completed by July 29. The draft electoral roll will be published on August 5, following which claims and objections can be filed between August 5 and September 4.
The notice phase and disposal of claims and objections will continue from August 5 to October 3, and the final electoral roll will be published on October 7, it said.
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Addressing a press conference here, CEO Kumar said that in Karnataka, the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer is fully prepared to proceed with the SIR of electoral rolls.
As part of this exercise, we have successfully mapped 86.46 per cent of our voters, he said.
"The primary objective of this entire exercise is to ensure that every eligible voter is enrolled, while simultaneously ensuring that no ineligible individuals are included in the voter list. Therefore, I seek the support and cooperation of all the voters of Karnataka, all political parties, and our friends from the media," he added.
According to the statement issued by the CEO's office, 59,050 BLOs will be involved in the SIR of the electoral roll in the state. The exercise will cover approximately 5,55,74,064 electors in the state as of May 12.
The SIR is a participative and transparent exercise involving electors, political parties and the election machinery. During the revision process, BLOs will undertake house-to-house visits for the distribution and collection of enumeration forms, the statement said.
Stating that there are currently 25,284 Booth Level Agents (BLAs) appointed by recognised political parties, the CEO urged all recognised political parties to appoint BLAs for every polling station to ensure active participation and transparency in the revision process.
Electors have been requested to cooperate with BLOs during the house-to-house distribution and collection of enumeration forms.
Further details regarding the revision process, forms and schedule will be made available on the official websites of the District Election Officers, the Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka, and the Election Commission of India, the statement said.
