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`What Congress did earlier, BJP is doing now`: JD(S) on voter data theft
A political row erupted in Karnataka after Congress alleged that the ruling BJP govt and CM Basavaraj Bommai are stealing the data of voters and indulging in election fraud through a private agency.
Bengaluru: The Congress on Thursday targeted the BJP and Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, alleging he is directly responsible for a corrupt electoral practice by assigning a private entity to collect door-to-door voter information. Reacting to the alleged electoral fraud by BJP, JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Thursday said that ruling BJP is doing something that the Congress has done previously. A political row erupted in the state after Congress alleged that the ruling BJP government is stealing the data of voters and indulging in election fraud through a private agency. The party accused Chief Minister Bommai, BBMP Special Commissioner Tushar Girinath and the Election Commission of operating as one team to steal voters` data.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, Ex-CM Kumaraswamy stated, BJP has given contract to a private company to commit fraud in the elections. The company belongs to an influential minister and is located in Malleshwaram.
He further stated that earlier the same company had burnt BBMP documents during night, when the scandal surfaced. Despite indulging in similar activites in the past, Congress leaders are talking as if their integrity is intact.
If Congress comes to power, they will continue with similar activities. As long as there are Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) there is no problem for BJP. The saffron party is attempting to return to power through fraudulent ways. The people should be careful about both national parties, Kumaraswamy stated, referring to BJP and Congress.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday announced that he will order a comprehensive probe into the alleged voters` data theft scandal and maintained that the Congress` demand for him to resign was "ridiculous".
(With agency inputs)