Bengaluru, July 11 (IANS) Commenting on whether granting permanent residence would benefit illegal immigrants, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President B.K. Hariprasad alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had repeatedly changed its political targets over the years and was now using the Bangladesh issue for electoral gains.

Speaking to media on Friday, Hariprasad questioned how alleged illegal immigrants could have reached Karnataka, which does not share an international border with Bangladesh, without the Centre’s failure to prevent their entry.

Commenting on Union Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje’s letter to the Centre opposing permanent residence certificates for alleged illegal immigrants, the KPCC President said she should instead write to the President Droupadi Murmu seeking the dismissal of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Referring to the NRC and CAA exercise in Assam, Hariprasad claimed that millions of people, including a large number of Hindus, had faced exclusion, and accused the BJP of attempting to remove genuine Indian voters from the electoral rolls for political purposes.

On the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) elections, the KPCC President said the Congress was fully prepared and had already constituted its manifesto committee.

However, he alleged that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls was being delayed due to a shortage of government officials, with Home Guards being deployed for the exercise.

He said there was no clarity on which electoral roll would be used for the elections and confirmed that the matter had been taken to court.

He clarified that the legal petition was not filed by the state government.

On Congress leader Vinay Kulkarni’s plea seeking restoration of his Dharwad Assembly membership, Hariprasad said the matter was before the court and that the party would abide by the judicial decision.

Responding to questions on internal differences in Mudigere, the KPCC President denied any factionalism within the Congress and instead alleged that conflicts were increasing among RSS leaders and Sri Ram Sene Chief Pramod Muthalik and others, who had sought intervention to control the situation.

On the delay in the expansion of the state Cabinet, Hariprasad said there was a clear distinction between the state government and the party.

While the state government was responsible for governance, he added, the Congress organisation would independently handle party affairs.

He said that there was no lack of coordination between the state government and the party.

–IANS

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