Rahul Gandhi has evidence for his "votes theft" allegations: Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has got evidence for his allegation regarding the modus operandi for "votes theft" during Lok Sabha polls in the state last year.
Amid the raging row over the revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, Gandhi on July 23 had alleged that elections are being "stolen" in the country and claimed his party has figured out the modus operandi of the "votes theft" by studying a Lok Sabha constituency in Karnataka.
Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha is scheduled to participate in a protest here on August 5 and submit a representation to the Election Commission officials here in this connection.
"Rahul Gandhi has got evidence. He is coming here to protest and to meet the Election Commission officials in Karnataka," the CM said in response to a question about the top Congress leader having evidence or documents to back his claims.
Speaking to reporters here, he said the nature of the protest meet and the venue will be decided soon.
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress President has said the venue for the protest and nature of the event -- whether rally or protest or march -- will be decided after a meeting on Thursday citing "technical issues" and court directives for holding such events in the city.
Last week, Gandhi had said he would put before the people and the Election Commission in black in white on how the "theft of votes" is being done.
"In Karnataka, we have found out bhayankar chori (massive theft). I will show it in black and white to you and the Election Commission. I will show in black and white how the chori is done and from where. We have it in black and white in Karnataka," the former Congress president had said.
"They know that we have understood their game. We picked one constituency and did a deep dive. Problem is that they give a voters list on paper and the paper list cannot be analysed. We took the full voters list of one constituency. We put it on digital format. It took six months but we have uncovered their whole system, how they do it, who votes and from where new voters are brought," he said.
Following Gandhi's statement, Siddaramaiah too had earlier alleged that the Congress Party's setback in the Lok Sabha polls in the state was due to "illegal manipulation" of the electoral process by the BJP through its 'misuse' of the EC, and the discussions were on with his party high command to decide the necessary course of action.
He claimed that in several constituencies across the state, Congress workers reported sudden and suspicious additions of new voters, while names of long-time voters were removed without justification.
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Separate nodal officer in all districts to prevent female foeticides in Karnataka: Minister
Belagavi (PTI): Accepting that the female foeticide has not stopped in the state, Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Tuesday said that the government is taking strict measures to prevent it.
The minister said the government is appointing separate nodal officers in all districts and tightening measures to prevent foeticide, which he called a "social evil".
He also assured that the government will consider strengthening legislation to control such activities.
The minister was responding to a question by BJP MLC C T Ravi in the Legislative Council.
"Female foeticides have certainly not stopped. If you look at the sex ratio, there is a lot of difference. I accept that this is happening," Rao said.
"Foeticides are not happening under pressure; voluntarily, it is happening, for not wanting a girl child. These things are happening based on the sex determination of the foetus at some hospitals. Sex determination is illegal, but with the advancement in technology, portable ultrasound machines have been developed, which can be easily carried anywhere, and scans and tests can be done. This needs to be controlled. We will bring it to the notice of the central government," he said.
In some districts and in a few hospitals, a higher number of male child births is happening. It is found with the help of intelligence input, the minister said.
"Information is being gathered on the taluk in which the male-female ratio is worsening, what is happening in which hospital, and appropriate action is being taken to crack down on such a network, after proper evaluation."
Decoy operations have been done at seven places in the last two years, to identify those involved in illegal activities linked to female foeticides, and actions have been taken against officials and hospitals involved, he said, adding that more needs to be done on priority.
Responding to a question by Ravi about whether any stringent legislation is being brought, Rao said, the government will consider strengthening the legislation and making it stricter to control this.
"Some amendments have been made to the existing laws in the last two years....advanced technology and the internet is being used to carry out such things, also oral medicines for abortions are available over the counter.
We need to look into bringing legislation to control them. The Food and Drug Administration has issued instructions to pharmacists that the sale of such drugs should be documented."
The minister also said that measures are also being taken for the effective implementation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC & PNDT) Act, and awareness is being created against the identification of female foetuses and female foeticide.
