Cong defeat in LS polls in K'taka due to 'illegal manipulation' of electoral process:CM Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru, Jul 24 (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday alleged that the Congress party’s setback in the recent Lok Sabha polls in the state was the result of "illegal manipulation" of the electoral process by the BJP, accusing it of "misusing" the Election Commission.
He said discussions are underway with the party high command to decide the necessary course of action.
He claimed that in several constituencies across the state, Congress party workers reported suspicious additions of new voters, while names of long-time voters were removed without explanation.
The CM's statement follows Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's accusation that elections are being "stolen" in India.
Gandhi claimed that his party has uncovered the modus operandi of the "vote theft" by studying a Lok Sabha constituency in Karnataka.
The senior Congress leader said the Congress would present its findings before the public and Election Commission in black and white.
Gandhi’s comments also come amid reports from Bihar, where officials engaged in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll have found that over 52 lakh voters were not present at their listed addresses, and another 18 lakh were reported dead during house-to-house verification.
"The results of the recent Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka have not only shocked us but also raised several serious concerns. It is now becoming increasingly evident that the Congress Party’s setback was not due to public opinion but rather due to the illegal manipulation of the electoral process, a manipulation carried out by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) through its misuse of the Election Commission," Siddaramaiah said.
Claiming that the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has been relentlessly "exposing the misconduct" of the EC, revealing one irregularity after another, he said, "He has specifically pointed to the election-related fraud that took place in Karnataka."
"I fully support Rahul Gandhi’s statement that there is clear and undeniable evidence of electoral malpractice in Karnataka. In several constituencies across the state, our party workers reported sudden and suspicious additions of new voters, while names of long-time voters were removed without justification," he said in a statement.
Noting that it has become increasingly evident that Narendra Modi’s electoral victories do not stem from his popularity or the so-called achievements of the BJP government, the CM said, "What’s coming to light is the harsh truth that these victories were driven by systematic voter fraud, orchestrated through the Election Commission itself."
"In response to the electoral fraud in Karnataka, we are currently holding discussions with Rahul Gandhi and AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge to decide the necessary course of action. We are committed to defending the integrity of our democracy," he added.
Earlier, speaking to media, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said, "I also agree with Rahul Gandhi, I have made a detailed investigation regarding Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha constituency, a lot of golmal has been done. I don't want to disclose much. I will come back later on this issue."
In the elections held for 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka in 2024, the Congress had managed to win 9 seats, up from just one seat it had won in 2019. The BJP won 17 seats -- down from 25 in 2019 Lok Sabha elections -- while its NDA partner, JD(S) won two constituencies.
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Odisha caste row ends; children return to anganwadi centre, consume food cooked by Dalit helper
Kendrapara (Odisha) (PTI): A three-month-long caste row at an anganwadi centre in a village in Odisha's Kendrapara district ended on Monday as upper caste children returned to the facility and consumed food cooked by a Dalit woman helper.
Of the 20 children on the roll, 16 came to the anganwadi centre in Nuagaon village under Ghalimala gram panchayat with their parents and accepted the food cooked by the helper, with the absentees reporting ill.
The anganwadi centre remained shut since November 21 last year, following the appointment of Sharmistha Sethy, a Dalit woman, as a helper, with several upper caste families refusing to send their wards to the facility or even accept nutritious food items supplied by the government for pregnant women and lactating mothers.
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The caste row triggered nationwide outrage, and the matter was even raised in Parliament, with Congress president and Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, voicing concern over caste discrimination in the workplace.
On Monday, Kendrapara Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) Dipali Mishra and Rajnagar MLA Dhruba Charan Sahoo were present at the anganwadi centre to welcome the children.
"I served ragi ladoos to the children. Later, I cooked rice and 'dalma' (vegetable curry) and served the children. Seeing them eat the meals made me overjoyed. They also played with toys, bringing back life to the centre, which was left deserted for around three months," Sethy said.
"I hope caste discrimination will not lurk its ugly head in the village anymore," she added.
CDPO Mishra said the children, flanked by their guardians, had joyous moments at the centre.
"The centre functioned sans the children for almost three months due to some villagers' disagreement over the appointment of Sharmistha Sethy as the anganwadi centre helper. Now, the vibrancy is back," Mishra said.
On the absentees, the CDPO said they could not join as they are not well.
"We hope the absentee children will come to the centre on Tuesday as the dispute has been resolved. People have decided to relegate the differences to the background. This is heartening," she added.
Rajnagar MLA Dhurba Charan Sahoo said, "The issue is now a thing of the past. I hope the camaraderie among the villagers will remain intact."
Taking to X, Kendrapara MP and BJP national vice president Baijayant Panda said, "Delighted at children having a nutritious meal today at the Nuagaon anganwadi which I had reviewed yesterday and had a wonderful lunch along with local leaders and villagers. It was heartening to see the community coming together to ensure great beginnings for their children."
Panda, who hails from the Brahmin community, and other upper caste villagers joined a feast where Sethy served food to the guests on Sunday.
State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) member Sujata Nayak hailed the children's return to the centre and said the commission will launch an awareness drive aimed at safeguarding the rights of the children.
Kendrapara district sub-collector Arun Nayak had earlier said the matter was resolved in the presence of stakeholders, including members of the SCPCR and Odisha State Commission for Women, as the officials sensitised villagers on the matter.
