Votegate: Bommai orders probe, slams Congress for 'baseless' claims

The Congress has filed a police complaint against CM Bommai, BBMP Commissioner and other officials for the alleged electoral fraud

With the Congress accusing him of being involved in major electoral data theft, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday said he has ordered a detailed inquiry while describing as “baseless” the claims that he was complicit in this.

“Let there be an inquiry and let the truth come out. We’re not shying away from an inquiry,” Bommai said, adding that he asked BBMP chief commissioner Tushar Girinath to file a case.

Bommai explained that the Election Commission, through the BBMP, has been doing Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) programmes for many years involving nonprofits. “Earlier, too, when the Congress was in power, NGOs were involved,” he said.

Also Read — Congress alleges electoral fraud in Karnataka, demands CM Bommai's resignation

“It has come to light now that one NGO misused its position. Credentials of booth-level officers were used to obtain information. I will see to it that the entire episode is comprehensively probed,” Bommai said. According to him, the claim that voter data was stolen is unsubstantiated. ”What’s the proof that private information was given or taken? There’s nothing wrong there on paper. It’s a baseless allegation,” he said.

Bommai rubbished the Congress’ demand for his resignation. “It’s laughable. I’m astonished at how the Congress has gone bankrupt with ideas," he said, adding that he had nothing to do with the episode. "If this is the yardstick, then the Congress CM should have resigned 100 times,” he said.

The CM even suggested that this was nothing when compared to the caste census that the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government had commissioned. "They talk of something that happened in one Bengaluru ward. Officially, Siddaramaiah spent Rs 130 crore to compile data on castes that the Congress used for elections. The data wasn't even made public. It is Siddaramaiah and those who were in the Congress government who should be punished first," Bommai argued.