Cong minister demand for ban on RSS activities in Karnataka a publicity stunt, says Fadnavis
Amravati, Oct 13 (PTI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday dismissed as a "publicity stunt" Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge's demand for a ban on RSS activities in government institutions and public premises in the southern state.
Talking to reporters in Amravati, Fadnavis insisted the Congress minister does not have any standing of his own to demand a ban on Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activities in Karnataka.
"Priyank Kharge is making such statements just for publicity. He does not having any standing of his own and his politics is dependent on his father (Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge)," said the BJP leader.
He was responding to a question on Karnataka Minister for Electronics, Rural Development & Panchayat Raj Kharge calling for a statewide ban on RSS activities in government institutions and public premises, claiming such activities violate India's unity and the Constitution.
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Fadnavis asserted the Nagpur-headquartered RSS is a patriotic outfit driven by nationalistic thinking.
"I want to remind him (Priyank Kharge) that in the past efforts were made to ban the RSS and it was banned, too (on three occasions). (Then Prime Minister) Indira Gandhi had also banned the RSS (in 1975), but she had to lose power (in 1977 polls post-Emergency). The RSS is a 'sanskritik shakti' (cultural power) and a patriotic organisation inspired by nationalistic thinking. We don't pay attention to such publicity stunts," the CM opined.
Kharge has made the demand in a letter written to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. In the letter dated October 4, Kharge alleged the RSS has been conducting its 'shakhas' in government and government-aided schools, as well as on public grounds, where "slogans are shouted and negative ideas are instilled in the minds of children and youth."
Fadnavis was in Amravati in eastern Maharashtra to preside over a review meeting of the BJP called to take stock of preparations for the upcoming local body elections.
The CM informed that the BJP, which heads the ruling Mahayuti alliance, is conducting region-wise reviews of its preparations for the long-pending elections to rural and urban civic bodies, including Mumbai and Nagpur municipal corporations.
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The party has completed review meetings in Marathwada, North Maharashtra, Western Maharashtra, Konkan and Amravati divisions. The process will be completed for Nagpur by Monday evening and then preparations for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation will be assessed and the exercise will be completed by next week, he stated.
In reply to a question, Fadnavis expressed confidence that the Mahayuti, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP, will put up a good show in the local body elections.
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Ex-PM Devegowda warns opposition of electoral losses if they continue to allege 'vote chori'
New Delhi (PTI): Former Prime Minister H D Devegowda on Monday said the Opposition parties would "suffer" if they continue to raise allegations of "vote chori" and create suspicion in the minds of voters by blaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government.
Participating in a discussion on election reforms in the Rajya Sabha, he criticised the Opposition for making a mockery about the Prime Minister "in the streets and on the public platform".
"This (India) is a very big country. A large country. Congress may be in three states. Remember my friends please, by using the words 'vote chori' you are going to suffer in the coming days. You are not going to win the battle," Devegowda said, referring to the Opposition members.
He asked what the Opposition is going to earn by "blaming Narendra Modi's leadership and creating a suspicion in the mind of the voters" through the claims of "vote chori".
"What has happened to their minds? Let them rectify," Devegowda said.
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The former prime minister said that during his over seven decades of public life, he has never raised such issues of vote theft despite facing defeat in elections.
He also cited a letter written by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru regarding inclusion of "18,000 votes" (voters) in Kerala.
"Why I am telling this (because) during the Nehru period also, there were certain lapses in the electoral system," said Devegowda, who was the prime minister between June 1, 1996 and April 21, 1997.
He said that the Congress party faced defeat in the recent Bihar elections despite raising the issues of mistakes in the electoral rolls.
"What happened after that even after so much review (of voters list). Think (for) yourself! You got six MLAs," the senior Janata Dal (Secular) leader said.
Devegowda questioned the Opposition as to why they want to make allegations against the prime minister on the issue of the voters list?
"Election Commission is there. Supreme Court is there. The Election Commission has given direction to all the state units to rectify all these things," he said.
Devegowda said people of the country have full confidence in Narendra Modi's government and it will come back to power after the next Lok Sabha elections as well.
K R Suresh Reddy, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party's Rajya Sabha member from Telangana, said that electoral reforms are the backbone for a healthy democracy.
He said a large and diverse nation like Indi needs clean electoral rolls.
Asserting that strict re-verification should not become a mechanism for exclusion, Reddy said no eligible voter should lose their right to vote simply because accessing paperwork is difficult.
He said while the concern definitely is on the voters' exclusion, "we should also be equally concerned about the percentage of voting."
"What is happening in voting today? Once the election ends, the drama begins. The biggest challenge that the Indian democracy has been facing in spite of two major Constitutional amendments has been the anti-defection. Anti-defection is the name of the game today, especially in smaller states, especially where the legislatures are small in number," Reddy said.
The senior BRS leader suggested creation of a parliamentary committee "which would constantly look into the defection" and "ways and means to cutting that".
AIADMK's M Thambidurai raised the issues related to election campaigning.
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"Election campaigns are one of the important election processes. In that, political parties must be given the proper chance to campaign," he said and cited problems faced by his party in Tamil Nadu in this regard.
Thambidurai said political parties were facing hardships in Tamil Nadu to conduct public meetings and to express their views to the public.
YSRCP's Yerram Venkata Subba Reddy stressed on bringing electoral reforms at both the state and national levels.
He also suggested replacing Electronic Voting Machines with paper ballots in all future elections.
"EVM may be efficient but can't be trusted. Paper ballot may not be efficient but can be trusted. You need trust in democracy," Reddy added.
