Bengaluru, Nov 12 (IANS) Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R. Ashoka, on Thursday alleged that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls had identified 65 lakh people who had shifted residences and 19 lakh people who had not submitted applications and were missing in the state, claiming that the figures indicated the presence of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in the country.
Addressing a media conference, the senior BJP leader alleged that Bangladeshis had infiltrated the Congress party, drawing a parallel with ethanol blending in petrol.
“Just as ethanol is mixed with petrol, Bangladeshis have mixed with the Congress party,” he alleged.
Ashoka claimed that around 300 Bangladeshis had been deported by police on flights at an expenditure of Rs 65 lakh. He also referred to the arrest of five Pakistani nationals in Anekal on the outskirts of Bengaluru and claimed that there were three crore Bangladeshi and Pakistani citizens in the country.
He alleged that three crore missing people had been identified across the country and claimed that Bangladeshis were among those present during the Kogilu Cross incident reported from Bengaluru, with only five residents involved.
He further alleged that the Congress had issued voter identity cards to them.
Questioning the Congress’s criticism of SIR, Ashoka said the exercise had been conducted nine times and that it had been carried out seven times when the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) was in power.
He also questioned Congress leaders’ credentials to criticise the exercise, referring to Sonia Gandhi’s acquisition of Indian citizenship and claiming that her name was included in the voter list only 15 years after she came to India following her marriage.
Turning to the controversy over the Bengaluru Metro project, Ashoka challenged the Congress government to substantiate its claim that Karnataka’s contribution to the project was 84 per cent.
He said the Centre and the State each had a 20 per cent share in the project, while the remaining amount was raised through loans for which the Central government provided guarantees. He alleged that the State government had not repaid the Metro loans.
“If 84 per cent of the investment is from the State, show where it is reflected in the budget. Do not weave a false story involving crows and sparrows in this matter,” he said.
Ashoka questioned why the Centre was blamed whenever Metro ticket fares were increased if the State government claimed to have borne the bulk of the project expenditure.
He also took a swipe at the Congress over the controversy surrounding the Prime Minister’s Metro inauguration programme. “If our share is higher, invite Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi instead of the Prime Minister for the inauguration,” he said.
Clarifying the protocol surrounding the Prime Minister’s visit, Ashoka said the Chief Minister had been invited because protocol and security arrangements had to be followed during the Prime Minister’s programme. He added that Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar often proudly stated that the Prime Minister addressed him as “DK”.
Criticising the State government over its handling of welfare and agricultural issues, Ashoka alleged that rice meant for distribution through fair price shops was being diverted and sent abroad.
Instead of identifying those responsible for the alleged diversion, the government was burdening farmers, he charged. He said drought relief had not reached farmers and Rs 5,000 crore had not been provided to women under the government’s welfare commitments.
Ashoka accused the Congress government of indulging in low-level politics while neglecting these issues. If the government was genuinely concerned, it should order an inquiry into the alleged diversion of rice and take up the matter with the Central government, he demanded.
–IANS
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