Bommai hits back at Cong amid 'voters' data theft' charge

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], November 17 : The Congress government made use of the entire information of the state but still lost the election, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Thursday, adding that the Congress leaders were issuing 'desparate' statements.
Speaking to reporters on the charges by Congress leaders on the misuse of the election nomination paper, the CM said the previous Congress government headed by chief minister Siddaramaiah spent Rs 130 crore to carry out a socio-economic survey of the state, which included caste, sub-caste among other aspects, and prepared a huge document.
Instead of making it public, the same was used for the election purpose, the CM alleged.
The current government was in no way connected with it, the CM said, adding that if this thing happened at a lower level, it will be enquired and the guilty will be punished.
Earlier on Thursday, Congress attacked the Karnataka chief minister alleging that he was directly involved in the electoral fraud that has come to light in Bengaluru.
"Shocking expose reveals that those in power, including Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai, are responsible for theft of voters data, fraud and impersonation," Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said at a press conference in Bengaluru on Thursday.
Surjewala demanded a high-level probe in the matter claiming that a private agency named 'Chilume' was authorised by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) -- the urban local civic body of Bengaluru -- to carry out a door-to-door survey of voters in the city.
He alleged that the agency collected the personal details of voters, which tantamounts to a breach of privacy, adding that it was a 'fraud' on Bangaloreans.
"CM Bommai, his officials, govt officers, BBMP people and the state election authority are partners in crime," Surjewala alleged.
The Congress leader claimed there was no prior intimation on the door-to-door survey, and CM Bommai was responsible for electoral fraud.
"CM Bommai is the BBMP's minister in-charge and its chief commissioner is Bengaluru's electoral officer. A private entity, Chilume Edu Institute, applies for permission for voter awareness. On being permitted, they commit the fraud of collecting voter data by impersonating booth-level officers," he alleged.
An FIR should be filed against him (Bommai) and he should be arrested, the Congress leader said.
Surjewala also claimed that the agency had a freehand and its staff were given booth level officer (BLO) cards.
"The agency did not even upload voters' information on Garuda -- ECI app -- but on Digital Sameeksha app, which owned by a private company, for use by MPs, MLAs and political parties," Surjewala claimed.