The BJP has approached Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, accusing the Congress government of illegally issuing Permanent Resident Certificates to foreigners to bolster vote banks.

Key Takeaways

  • BJP accuses Congress of issuing PRCs to Bangladeshi citizens to create a vote bank.
  • Leader of Opposition R. Ashok claims citizenship is a Union List matter.
  • The party has sought a high-level inquiry into the legality of the PRC notification.
  • BJP demands a CBI probe into the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede case.

Bengaluru: In a major political escalation, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has formally lodged a complaint with Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, accusing the ruling Congress government of illegally issuing Permanent Resident Certificates (PRC) to individuals from Bangladesh and other foreign nations. The BJP alleges that this move is a calculated attempt to engineer a new 'vote bank' ahead of the upcoming local and Assembly elections.

Constitutional and Federal Concerns

Addressing a press conference following the submission of a memorandum, the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, R. Ashok, raised significant constitutional concerns. He emphasized that matters pertaining to citizenship, the identification of foreigners, and migration fall strictly under the Union List, making them the exclusive domain of the Central Government. "The State government's unilateral attempt to assume the power to issue PRCs is not only illegal but also a dangerous precedent that undermines India's federal structure," Ashok stated.

Demands for Transparency and Investigation

The BJP has called upon the Governor to direct the State government to immediately withdraw the controversial notification. Furthermore, the party has demanded a comprehensive report to ascertain whether the Union government was consulted before the issuance of these certificates. There are also growing concerns regarding the verification processes used to validate Indian citizenship, with the BJP seeking a high-level inquiry into birth certificates issued through courts and Lok Adalats during this period.

The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium Tragedy

Beyond the citizenship controversy, R. Ashok also addressed the recent tragedy near the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, where a stampede resulted in 11 deaths. He expressed outrage over the decision to end inquiries against involved police officers. Asserting that the current administration is shielding influential individuals, including family members of ministers and IAS officers, Ashok vowed that a BJP government would ensure a thorough investigation by the CBI, calling the current lack of accountability a 'betrayal of the youth.'