Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday, 3 July alleged that the state's Congress government is facilitating the illegal enrolment of Bangladeshi nationals in Karnataka's electoral rolls through the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. The party demanded criminal action against officials allegedly flouting Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines.

Key Allegations at the Press Conference

Addressing reporters in Bengaluru, BJP leader R. Ashoka alleged that Booth Level Officers (BLOs) were distributing Enumeration Forms on streets rather than conducting the mandatory door-to-door household verification. He called this a deliberate 'conspiracy' to register Bangladeshi residents as voters.

'The Election Commission is conducting the Special Intensive Revision from the perspective of national security, and this is also the intention of the Central Government. However, the Congress government has turned Karnataka into a paradise for Bangla people,' Ashoka alleged.

Ashoka further claimed that enrolment drives were being conducted openly outside Haj Bhavans and mosques — specifically naming Mahadevapura and Byatarayanapura — rather than through the prescribed household process. He alleged there were approximately 20 lakh Bangladeshi residents in Karnataka, including in Bengaluru, Madikeri, and Chikkamagaluru districts, and claimed their names did not appear in the 2002 electoral rolls.

Demands and Letters to Election Authorities

Ashoka announced he would write to both the Central Election Commission and the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer seeking immediate action. 'I demand that criminal cases be registered and the officials responsible for permitting such activities be arrested,' he said.

He also alleged that electoral records from the 2002 rolls in one area of Yelahanka had not been uploaded online, claiming specific communities were being targeted. Ashoka further accused the Congress of contradictory positioning — publicly opposing the SIR exercise while simultaneously urging people to enrol through it to avail government guarantee schemes.

Water Crisis and Drought Allegations

Ashoka also turned his attack toward Karnataka's drought situation, alleging that ministers had failed to visit affected areas despite sharply declining reservoir levels. He cited data claiming Karnataka's 22 reservoirs collectively held 335.292 TMC of water during the corresponding period last year, while current storage stood at only 66.099 TMC. Major reservoirs including Almatti, Tungabhadra, Hidkal, and Bhima were reportedly facing severe shortages.

He demanded the government immediately earmark ₹10,000 crore for crop loss compensation, constitute a drought task force, and establish goshalas to support livestock. He also criticised Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar for allegedly advising farmers on crop cultivation during water shortages, saying farmers needed relief measures, not guidance.

Mekedatu Project and Administrative Criticism

Ashoka accused the state government of silence over Tamil Nadu's opposition to the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project. 'Despite Tamil Nadu opposing Mekedatu, the Chief Minister has not spoken against it. Instead, water is being released to Tamil Nadu. Not even Rs 10 has been allocated for the Mekedatu project. D.K. Shivakumar is siding with Tamil Nadu,' he alleged.

He also alleged that Shivakumar had retained high-revenue agencies — the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) and the Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) — under his direct control, while distributing other departments to ministers. Ashoka remarked that though Shivakumar had completed one month as Chief Minister, there was 'no freshness' in the administration, calling it 'old wine in a new bottle.'

The Congress government in Karnataka is yet to respond formally to these allegations. The Election Commission's response to any formal complaint from BJP is awaited.