BJP is intimidating the Government through Governor: Dr G Parameshwar
Ramanagara: Dr G Parameshwar accused the BJP of intimidating the State government, elected with 136 seats by the people, through the Governor. He was addressing 'Janandolan', a program organized by Congress to protest against injustice to the state by NDA, and against the irregularities during BJP and JDS tenure, at Bidadi on Friday.
"We faced the Vidhan Sabha elections under the leadership of KPCC President D K Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah. If the people removed the corrupt BJP government from power and elected us, we promised to provide them a rule of social justice. We had also assured five guarantees to uplift poor, downtrodden and minorities. But BJP had criticized this by saying that Congress was issuing empty promises. Irrigation projects, road development and all other works are being implemented properly. So BJP and JDS are making non-existent accusations", he said.
Parameshwar alleged that H D Kumaraswamy, after allying with BJP, had hit a jackpot and became a union minister. Citing JDS breaking its alliance with Congress after 14 months to form a government in the state, the Home Minister said that Kumaraswamy would abandon BJP too. He gave the example of BJP-JDS differences about the padayatra against MUDA scam and prophesied that their alliance wouldn't last long.
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"They are levelling allegations against a site, purchased in 1935, which was turned into sites by MUDA. BJP must provide evidence of a single file in which Siddaramaiah has signed or any directions given by him [regarding the sites]. We have organized the meeting to tell the truth to people. We will provide a list of irregularities that happened in the time of BJP rule. Let them give a similar list, if possible", he challenged.
Referring to various irregularities under BJP rule, Parameshwar cited BJP legislator Basangouda Patil Yatnal's accusation about the then Health Minister Sudhakar embezzling four thousand crore rupees in COVID medications provided to the public, Goolihatti Shekhar's accusations about 47 crore misappropriated in Bhovi Corporation and D S Veerayya withdrawing money, sanctioned for Devaraja Aras truck terminal, through a cheque to build a house. He questioned that if the BJP people had any shame for levelling allegations against Siddaramaiah after looting thousands of crores from the government.
"On July 26, T J Abraham had given a complaint to the Governor. Chief Secretary of the government had provided a proper answer to the Governor regarding this. But you intimidate us immediately? And give us a show-cause notice, unheard of in history? What you are doing is a mistake. The cabinet ministry has decided for the notice to be revoked. No one in the government has committed a mistake. We will provide a blameless rule for the next four years too and save our word to the people", he said.
Dy CM Shivakumar also launched a tirade against the opposition in the 'Janandolan' meeting.
Minister Zameer Ahmed, Dr M C Sudhakar and many other senior congress leaders were present.
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Supreme Court rejects plea for reverting to ballots in elections
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition seeking to revert to ballot paper voting in elections in the country.
"What happens is, when you win the election, EVMs (electronic voting machine) are not tampered. When you lose the election, EVMs are tampered (with)," remarked a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and P B Varale.
Apart from ballot paper voting, the plea sought several directions including a directive to the Election Commission to disqualify candidates for a minimum of five years if found guilty of distributing money, liquor or other material inducement to the voters during polls.
When petitioner-in-person K A Paul said he filed the PIL, the bench said, "You have interesting PILs. How do you get these brilliant ideas?".
The petitioner said he is the president of an organisation which has rescued over three lakh orphans and 40 lakh widows.
"Why are you getting into this political arena? Your area of work is very different," the bench retorted.
After Paul revealed he had been to over 150 countries, the bench asked him whether each of the nations had ballot paper voting or used electronic voting.
The petitioner said foreign countries had adopted ballot paper voting and India should follow suit.
"Why you don't want to be different from the rest of the world?" asked the bench.
There was corruption and this year (2024) in June, the Election Commission announced they had seized Rs 9,000 crore, Paul responded.
"But how does that make your relief which you are claiming here relevant?" asked the bench, adding "if you shift back to physical ballot, will there be no corruption?".
Paul claimed CEO and co-founder of Tesla, Elon Musk, stated that EVMs could be tampered with and added TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, the current chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, and former state chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had claimed EVMs could be tampered with.
"When Chandrababu Naidu lost, he said EVMs can be tampered with. Now this time, Jagan Mohan Reddy lost, he said EVMs can be tampered with," noted the bench.
When the petitioner said everybody knew money was distributed in elections, the bench remarked, "We never received any money for any elections."
The petitioner said another prayer in his plea was the formulation of a comprehensive framework to regulate the use of money and liquor during election campaigns and ensuring such practices were prohibited and punishable under the law.
The plea further sought a direction to mandate an extensive voter education campaign to raise awareness and importance of informed decision making.
"Today, 32 per cent educated people are not casting their votes. What a tragedy. If democracy will be dying like this and we will not be able to do anything then what will happen in the years to come in future," the petitioner said.
