Commenting on the issue of granting permanent residence to illegal immigrants, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President B.K. Hariprasad criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for using the Bangladesh matter for political gains. Hariprasad raised concerns about how illegal immigrants could have entered Karnataka, a state not sharing a border with Bangladesh, without the central government’s failure to prevent their influx.
Hariprasad also addressed Union Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje’s opposition to granting permanent residence certificates to alleged illegal immigrants. He suggested that instead of her actions, she should approach President Droupadi Murmu to seek the dismissal of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Referring to the NRC and CAA exercise in Assam, Hariprasad accused the BJP of excluding millions, including Hindus, from electoral rolls for political motives.
Regarding the upcoming Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) elections, Hariprasad mentioned that the Congress was well-prepared with its manifesto committee in place. However, he highlighted delays in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls due to a shortage of government officials, leading to the deployment of Home Guards for the task. Hariprasad expressed concerns over the uncertainty surrounding the electoral rolls to be used for the elections, noting that the issue had been taken to court.
Hariprasad clarified that the legal petition concerning Congress leader Vinay Kulkarni’s Dharwad Assembly membership restoration was under judicial review, and the party would respect the court’s decision. Responding to queries about internal disputes in Mudigere, he refuted claims of factionalism within the Congress and instead pointed to escalating conflicts among RSS leaders and Sri Ram Sene Chief Pramod Muthalik. Hariprasad also addressed the delay in the state Cabinet expansion, emphasizing the distinction between the state government’s governance responsibilities and the party’s independent organizational affairs.
