Karnataka Muslim Organizations Urge Congress Govt To Form Committee For Protection During Upcoming SIR Process

Bengaluru, May 16: While the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP in Karnataka are busy forming booth-level committees (BLWs) to ensure the SIR does not harm their respective political interests, a convention of Muslim organizations in Bengaluru have urged the government to form a committee to protect their community from being targeted.

Eleven Demands Including 4% Reservation

The convention, which expressed its unhappiness with the ruling Congress has put forth 11 demands before the ruling Congress, including 4% reservation to Muslims, more representation in lower and upper house and the committee to ensure that no Muslim name is deleted from voters' list during SIR.

The sudden movement came on the heels of the Election Commission announcing to start SIR process from June 20. The number of voters has grown from 3.55 crore in 2002 to 5.5 crore now.

Deputy CM Shivakumar on SIR's Alleged Aim

The Congress is wary of the exercise, particularly after SIR in states like Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. ``The aim of SIR is to see that Scheduled Caste; backward classes and the minority votes are cut. We will ensure that they are protected. Everyone born in India should have their rights,'' Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said.

There was pressure on the Congress government to not allow the SIR to take place in the State. However, a decision like this is off the table and the government's focus will be on ensuring there is no foul play during SIR, he said.

Congress's Year-Long Preparation

Government Chief Whip Salim Ahmed said that the Congress party has been preparing for the last one year. ``We have held training sessions for all our BLAs and they have been asked to stay alert and monitor the electoral roll revision,'' he said.

The BJP has been training its cadre and have asked the workers to devote 100 days and ensure that the party's supporters are not removed from the electoral rolls.

BJP State President on Golden Opportunity

BJP State President B Y Vijayendra said that the SIR was a golden opportunity for BJP to ensure illegal aliens are removed from the electoral rolls.

``We will closely follow the SIR process in all constituencies where committees will be formed,'' he added.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka Muslim Organizations held a convention in Bengaluru on Saturday, where it passed a resolution urging the state government to form a committee to ensure that no Muslim name was deleted from the voters' list.

Muslim Organizations' 11 Demands and Unhappiness

The organizations, which are unhappy with the ruling Congress party after by elections to two Assembly constituencies have come out with 11 demands and placed them before Congress party. The Muslim organizations feel that the Congress has taken them for granted in absence of viable secular alternative for them. With nowhere to go, they have placed the demand.

Speaking after the convention, the Chairman of the convention Mohammed Malpe said that the SIR across the country is aimed at targeting Muslims and removing them from the voters' list.

The State government should form a committee to ensure that the Muslim community people get all the required documents needed to remain in the voters' list, in case their names are deleted from the list, he added.