Intro
Bangarappa said Karnataka’s Education Department received no significant Central funds, with the state independently financing and implementing development projects.
Shivamogga
The District Congress Committee organized a public awareness meeting in Shivamogga on Monday to educate citizens about the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The party alleged that the BJP-led Central Government had introduced the process with political motives and urged Congress workers to ensure that every eligible voter retained their constitutional right to vote.
The meeting was held near the Shivappa Nayaka statue ahead of the commencement of the SIR exercise. Addressing party workers and the public, Congress leaders claimed that awareness among voters was the most effective way to prevent eligible citizens from being excluded from the electoral rolls.
Former Karnataka minister Madhu Bangarappa said the right to vote had not been granted by any government but was guaranteed under the Constitution. He emphasized that the Constitution should be respected above all and urged party workers to protect citizens’ democratic rights through constitutional means. Bangarappa called on Congress workers to actively assist people facing residence verification or documentation issues and ensure that no eligible voter lost the opportunity to participate in elections.
Former minister Kimmane Rathnakar questioned the Central Government’s decision to limit the SIR exercise to a one-month period. He alleged that the timeline was unreasonable and demanded an extension, arguing that the process should allow sufficient time for all eligible voters to complete the necessary formalities.
MLC B.K. Banu accused the Centre of attempting to weaken citizens’ constitutional rights and appealed to Congress workers to conduct door-to-door awareness campaigns explaining the SIR process. She stressed that no eligible voter should be removed from the electoral rolls due to procedural difficulties.
She also criticized conflicting statements regarding the documents required for verification, questioning how citizens could comply when different identification documents were treated inconsistently.
District Congress president R. Prasanna Kumar and several party leaders appealed to workers to spread accurate information about the SIR process and help eligible voters safeguard their voting rights through awareness and assistance.
BOX
Madhu Bangarappa says power never his priority
Former Karnataka minister Madhu Bangarappa said that holding power has never been his priority and that decisions regarding his continuation in the state cabinet rest with the Congress high command. Speaking to reporters in Shivamogga, he stated that his focus has always been on public service rather than political positions.
Defending his tenure as Education Minister, Bangarappa said the department did not receive significant financial assistance from the Central Government and that the state independently funded key educational initiatives to ensure their implementation.
He strongly criticized the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), calling for its cancellation and arguing that central control over the examination system should end due to repeated controversies and irregularities affecting students. He also cited alleged paper leak incidents in other states to question the system’s credibility.
On electoral reforms, he accused the BJP of undermining democratic institutions through the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and claimed that certain communities were being unfairly targeted in states like West Bengal and Bihar. He warned that such actions could weaken public trust in elections.
Bangarappa added that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi would soon discuss the issue further, and the party would take appropriate decisions to protect constitutional values and democratic integrity.
