'Loktantra Bachao - Arajakta Hatao': Shah to lead BJP's counter-campaign
What's the story
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will spearhead the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) counter-campaign, "Loktantra Bachao - Arajakta Hatao," against the Congress party's "vote chori" campaign. The campaign will include foot marches in Hyderabad and Karnal, Haryana. The Telangana BJP has planned a padyatra in Hyderabad on November 2, a day after the Congress rally in Delhi on November 1.
Padyatra details
Theme of padyatra in Hyderabad
The Hyderabad padyatra will be held under the theme "Loktantra Bachao - Arajakta Hatao" (Save Democracy, End Anarchy).
Telangana BJP president N Ramchander Rao announced Shah's participation in the event.
Rao accused Congress of spreading false narratives about the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and inciting anarchy among youth.
Political challenge
Rao challenges Telangana CM to visit his native village
Rao has challenged Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to visit his native village with him to see how many voters' names had been removed from the rolls.
He also asked Congress ministers in Telangana to identify at least 10 voters whose names were deleted and explain why they were removed.
"They (Congress) are trying to create anarchy in the state and country," Rao said.
Roll revision defense
BJP defends SIR exercise
The BJP has defended the SIR exercise, which the Opposition alleges involved large-scale deletion of voters' names.
Rao claimed that out of 13 crore voters' names removed during the SIR exercise, 2.8 crore were dead and three crore were absent or untraceable when Booth Level Officers visited them.
He also said nearly one crore had registrations at multiple locations.
Rally criticism
Rao slams Congress leaders from Telangana
Rao also slammed Congress leaders from Telangana for travelling to Delhi to attend the November 1 rally.
He argued that Telangana is facing a severe water shortage due to a rainfall deficit.
"More than 300 of Telangana's over 600 mandals were experiencing drought-like conditions," he said, referring to water shortages in Hyderabad amid El Niño conditions.
Karnal event
Shah to join padyatra in Haryana's Karnal on November 5
Shah will also join a padyatra in Haryana's Karnal on November 5 under the "Save Democracy, End Anarchy" campaign.
BJP state president Dr Archana Gupta has reviewed preparations for this event and held meetings with the district core group and party office-bearers.
The BJP sees these padyatras as part of its campaign against what it calls misleading propaganda by Opposition parties over electoral roll revisions.