BJP takes out protest march in Shivamogga against opposition to SIR

BJP leaders and workers taking out a protest march in Shivamogga under the slogan ‘Save Democracy, End Anarchy’ on Thursday.

Leaders and workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took out a march in Shivamogga city under the slogan ‘Save Democracy, End Anarchy’, targeting political parties opposing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

A large number of party workers, led by senior leaders, including Union Minister for Labour and Employment Shobha Karandlaje, former Minister Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, C.T. Ravi, MLC, and B.Y. Raghavendra, Shivamogga MP, took part in the march, which began at Ramanna Shreshthi Park.

The leaders offered prayers at a Ganapathi temple before the march. Along the route, participants raised slogans against the Congress and other parties opposing the SIR.

Addressing the gathering at Allama Prabhu Park after the march, Ms. Karandlaje alleged that the Congress was creating unrest in the country by questioning the SIR. “The SIR has been carried out several times since 1952, including during Congress rule. However, the Congress is opposing the process only because it is being conducted during the BJP rule,” she said.

She said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had been raising doubts about the functioning of the ECI even though, as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, he had been part of the process to select the Chief Election Commissioner. She also alleged that the Congress was campaigning globally to weaken democracy in India.

Mr. Ravi said the march was being held to safeguard democracy. “Earlier, the Congress was targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP. Now, it has turned to the ECI. Constitutional bodies should remain strong to strengthen the democratic system,” he said.

Mr. Raghavendra described the protest as a rally to spread awareness about the Congress’s attempts to create unrest in the country.

The party’s district president, N.K. Jagadish, and legislators S.N. Channabasappa, Dhananjaya Sarji, and others participated in the protest.