FIR Against BJP Leaders Over Voter Deletions: Yediyurappa Warns Protest

Bengaluru: Senior BJP leader B S Yediyurappa on Saturday warned of a statewide protest if police initiated legal action against BJP workers or harassed them in connection with Form-7 objections filed during the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls.

The former CM issued the warning after BJP leaders submitted a memorandum to the Director General and Inspector General of Police M A Saleem, demanding that cases related to the objections be dealt strictly in accordance with law.

"Under no circumstances should legal action be taken against party workers. They should not be arrested, harassed, or assaulted. If any such action continues, a statewide protest will be held," he said in a statement.

He insisted that the police should not harass BJP workers merely on the instructions of the CM.

"We have already submitted a memorandum to the Director General of State Police. If our petition is valid, action should be taken. Party workers should not be harassed merely on the instructions of the chief minister," he said.

He also criticised Chief Minister D K Shivakumar over his protest at the Chief Electoral Officer's office on Thursday demanding action against those who filed Form-7 seeking deletion of voters from the electoral rolls as part of the ongoing SIR.

The CM had alleged that BJP was involved in the illegal deletion of voters, especially minorities, Dalits, tribals and Other Backward Castes (OBCs). He termed it 'Vote Chori'.

"The chief minister should be ashamed of staging a protest at the CEO's office. Going there personally to press the CEO and exert pressure on him is shameful conduct," Yediyurappa said.

He urged police officers to work in accordance with law rather than "merely to please the government" and demanded that action against BJP workers be stopped immediately.

BJP Karnataka president B Y Vijayendra, who is Yediyurappa's son, too warned that the party would not remain silent if FIRs continued to be registered against its workers over Form-7 applications.

Vijayendra made the remarks after visiting the DGP's office on Nrupatunga Road and said the BJP had urged the police chief not to register cases against its workers under pressure from the state government.

"We will fight this legally. If we have to take to the streets and launch a political protest, we are ready for that too. If the registration of FIRs continues in this manner, we will also lay siege to police stations," he said.

He alleged that the Police Department was registering FIRs against those who had filed Form-7 applications, particularly BJP workers.

"Form-7 is a process through which names of persons who are unauthorisedly or illegally included in the electoral rolls can be removed. If what we submit through Form-7 is correct, the Returning Officer will accept it. If it is incorrect, it will be rejected," Vijayendra said.

"If there is anything wrong with it, the Election Commission can take action under the Representation of the People Act. But it is not right for the Police Department to succumb to pressure from the state government and misuse the BNS Act to register FIRs against our workers," he said.

Vijayendra also alleged that Shivakumar was attempting to resort to "rowdyism" and said the BJP was not afraid of "dadagiri, goondaism or the SIT".

"Take whatever action is legally permissible. If you come to intimidate and engage in hooliganism against our workers by registering FIRs in this manner, we also know very well how to fight you on the streets and how to warn you on the streets. We will demonstrate it," he warned.

The BJP leaders' statements come amid a political confrontation between the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP over Form-7 objections filed during the SIR process.

Police have registered several cases in connection with alleged irregularities in the filing of such applications.