Published Oct 02, 2026 | 8:47 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 02, 2026 | 8:47 PM
BJP leaders on Friday submitted a petition to the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner demanding an FIR.
Synopsis: Karnataka BJP leader R Ashoka has accused the ruling Congress of trying to protect the “votes of Bangladeshis and Pakistanis” and sought an FIR against Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and other Congress leaders for staging a dharna at the State Election Commission office in Bengaluru, alleging that they violated a High Court order restricting protests to Freedom Park. He claimed that the Congress was rushing to protect the votes of ‘Bangladeshis and Pakistanis’ and maintained that filing Form 7 applications is legal and that the Congress was wrong to suggest otherwise.
Karnataka BJP has accused the ruling Congress of attempting to protect the “votes of Bangladeshis and Pakistanis” and sought an FIR against Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, his Cabinet colleagues and other party leaders who staged an hours-long dharna at the headquarters of the State Election Commission (SEC) in Bengaluru on Thursday, 1 October.
The Congress had demanded a time-bound investigation into reports of bulk Form 7 applications seeking the deletion of eligible voters across several constituencies in the State, particularly targeting voters from minority communities.
BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R Ashoka on Friday submitted a petition to the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner, alleging that the Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues violated a High Court order by holding the protest on a road where protests are prohibited. Freedom Park is the officially designated place for protests in Bengaluru.
Ashoka, speaking to reporters after submitting the petition, claimed that the protest was illegal.
“There is drought in the state, and there is a drinking-water problem. A Cabinet meeting should have been held to respond to the difficulties of farmers. Instead, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and the ministers cancelled the Cabinet meeting and rushed to the Election Commission in order to protect the votes of Bangladeshis and Pakistanis,” he said.
“Later they came outside and announced on X that they would stage a sit-in. Under which law was such a protest held? There is a High Court order that no protest of any kind may be held on that road. The Chief Justice’s residence is right there. The Chief Minister, who is supposed to uphold the law, has violated the law without any fear. If they themselves break the law, others will not be allowed to protest only at Freedom Park.”
Ashoka said the police had previously registered an FIR against people who protested on the roadside in accordance with the court order, and said the same should apply to the Chief Minister and Ministers.
The BJP has also asserted that filing Form 7 applications is legal and that the Congress was wrong to suggest otherwise. Ashoka said that if there was an issue with the applications, the Congress could approach the courts rather than “put pressure” on election officials.
“Anyone can submit Form 7. But Congress leaders have called this itself wrong. Let the Election Commission say how many Form 7 applications have been filed. Anyone here can submit an application. The Election Commission will take a decision on it. If there is a mistake in that, Congress people may approach the court – they cannot put pressure on election officials,” he said.
He said the allegations were the latest in Congress’s attacks on constitutional institutions.
“They question institutions such as the Income Tax Department, the ED, the CBI and others. Now they have also questioned the SIT constituted by the High Court to investigate the KPSC irregularities. Congress leaders have not spared any constitutional institution. Rahul Gandhi is attacking constitutional institutions. Their party is disappearing from the country itself. That is why they are trying to move forward by holding on to the cockroach party,” he said.
“They are projecting the struggle those people are waging as their own struggle. Form 7 is available online. After it is submitted, if there is an error, the Election Commission will take action against it. They are fighting on behalf of the brothers who exploded the cooker bomb.”
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
