Shivakumar accuses BJP, JD(S) of targeting poor voters

Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar accused BJP workers and leaders of attempting to deprive poor people of voting rights through applications seeking deletion of names from electoral rolls. He said his government would protect every voter’s franchise

Mysuru: Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday alleged that attempts were being made to “steal” the voting rights of poor people by seeking deletion of their names from electoral rolls, and accused BJP leaders of trying to win elections through such a strategy.

Addressing a Praja Seva Department programme at Piriyapatna in Mysuru district, Shivakumar said his government would protect the voting rights of all citizens, including minorities, Dalits and backward classes, amid the ongoing controversy over bulk Form 7 applications seeking deletion of names from electoral rolls.

---

“Some BJP workers, friends and leaders had submitted applications seeking deletion of people’s voting rights, including those of poor people. We have also taken up the fight to ensure that no person’s vote is deleted without proper documentation,” he said.

Shivakumar alleged that BJP and JD(S) leaders were attempting to win elections by depriving poor people of their voting rights and said such a move was against the Constitution. He said the government had conveyed its concerns to the Election Commission and would work to protect every voter’s franchise.

The chief minister also spoke about the Praja Seva Department, which was launched on September 5 to take government services to people’s doorsteps and resolve grievances without forcing them to visit government offices.

“The government must reach the doorstep of the people,” he said, adding that ministers, MLAs and officials had been directed to visit every taluk twice a month, on the first and third Saturdays, and receive applications from people at the panchayat level.

The department has already conducted programmes at around 620 locations and received applications from more than one lakh people, Shivakumar said. Most grievances were related to the Revenue, Rural Development and Urban Development departments, he added.

The chief minister said applications would be numbered and acknowledged, while officials would be monitored to ensure their timely disposal. A legal aid counter will also be opened alongside the grievance mechanism to provide free assistance to people facing legal hurdles.

Shivakumar said a decision to raise the annual income ceiling for pension eligibility from Rs 32,000 to Rs 1.20 lakh had benefited around 12 lakh people whose pensions had been stopped.

He also announced a plan to provide residential sites to five lakh poor people in the first phase, directing Deputy Commissioners to identify government land and create new layouts wherever necessary.

With 217 taluks affected by drought, the government is also planning a new programme called “Negilu Yogi” to assist farmers, he said. Two taluks in each district would be selected for the programme and a plan was being prepared, he added.

The chief minister also announced the launch of Bharat Jodo Youth Associations to encourage young people between 16 and 35 years to participate in sports, cultural activities, environmental work and other community initiatives. Each panchayat would be provided Rs 10 lakh for the programme, he said.

He said the government was reviewing reports of alleged misuse of its Gruha Lakshmi and Gruha Jyothi guarantee schemes.

Shivakumar also described the proposed “Bhoomi Guarantee” as a sixth guarantee, saying the government would focus on providing khatas and proper documents for properties, completing land subdivision or phodi and addressing other land-related issues.

The five guarantee schemes are Gruha Jyothi, which provides 200 units of free electricity to every household; Gruha Lakshmi, which provides Rs 2,000 to every woman head of a family; Anna Bhagya, which provides 10 kg of rice per month to every member of a BPL family; Yuva Nidhi, which provides a monthly allowance to unemployed graduates and diploma holders; and Shakti, which provides free travel for women in Karnataka government non-luxury buses.

He said the government had allocated around Rs 3,500 crore under the employment guarantee programme and urged people to use the scheme for developing their land and creating community assets.

“We have created a system where, if officials or MLAs are unable to meet you, officials will come to your doorstep, and MLAs will also come to you,” he said.

The chief minister said he would travel to different constituencies twice every month to receive grievance petitions and monitor their disposal.

“I have said from the very first day that I am not merely the chief minister; I am a people’s servant,” Shivakumar said, adding that people should not have to go around government offices or pay bribes to get their problems addressed.

He also directed officials to expedite the disposal of applications filed under the Forest Rights Act and other land-rights provisions, while asking people not to resort to encroachment.

“Nobody should evict you illegally. I will issue such directions,” he said.

Shivakumar said the Praja Seva programme would bring together departments including Revenue, Housing, Rural Development, Urban Development, Food, Public Works, Transport, Power, Irrigation, Social Welfare, Agriculture and Health to resolve grievances at people’s doorsteps.