CM Shivakumar calls for Quit Vote Chori movement

Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday called for a “’Quit Vote Chori’ movement” against alleged attempts at “vote theft”, urging Congress workers to focus on protecting the right to vote.

Addressing Congress workers at the KPCC office, at an event organised to mark Quit India Day, Shivakumar said the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state made it imperative for party workers and Booth Level Agents (BLAs) to safeguard voters’ rights.

“Vote theft is taking place in the country, and we need to launch a ‘Quit Vote Chori’ movement against it,” he said. According to him, an attempt was being made to delete one crore voters through the electoral roll revision exercise.

He urged party workers to ensure that enumeration forms were duly filled and submitted. “Put aside all other work and fight against vote theft to protect the right to vote,” Shivakumar told party workers.

He also appealed to young people who have turned 18 to register as voters using Form 6, saying that without the right to vote, they would have no voice.

Recalling former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi’s decision to lower the voting age to 18, Shivakumar said the move had faced opposition from political parties at the time.

“Even though I am the Chief Minister, I am a Congress party worker first. If there are workers, there is a party; if there is a party, there is a government,” he said.

Drawing a parallel with Quit India movement, Shivakumar said the slogan “British Quit India” should now be replaced with ‘Dictatorial Mindset Quit Power’.

“Swaraj is our birthright” should today be understood as “Protest is our birthright”, he said, recalling the contributions of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad to the freedom movement.

Shivakumar said the Constitution was the country’s “Bible, Quran and Bhagavad Gita” and asserted that the Congress party would “never bow, bend or back down”.

He claimed that attempts have been made to eliminate the Congress and the Congress family from the country, but asserted that the party continued to remain strong.

“Our target is 2028 (assembly polls) and 2029 (Lok Sabha polls). Some are speaking about creating a ‘Congress-free’ India. The strength of Congress is the strength of the country; the history of Congress is the history of the country.”

On the proposed expansion of Congress infrastructure, Shivakumar said the party has decided to construct 100 offices across Karnataka in connection with the centenary celebrations of the Belagavi session where Mahatma Gandhi became Congress president.

He said land had been acquired in every taluk and that Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge would soon visit the state for foundation-laying programmes.

The party also plans to identify and honour 100 senior Congress leaders aged above 70, who have served the organisation.

“Many among us have not received position or power. This party survives because of these workers,” Shivakumar said, adding that those who have donated land or contributed funds to the party would also be honoured.

He said a Congress office would be constructed in Bengaluru under the chairmanship of state minister Ramalinga Reddy.