മുസ്ലീങ്ങൾ വ്യാജ വോട്ടർമാരാണെന്നും ബുർഖ ധരിച്ച് അവർ പലതവണ വോട്ട് ചെയ്യുന്നുണ്ടെന്നും ബി.ജെ.പി നേതാവ് ബസനഗൗഡ പാട്ടീൽ യത്നാൽ ആരോപിച്ചു. കോൺഗ്രസ് വ്യാജ വോട്ടുകളിലൂടെയാണ് അധികാരത്തിൽ എത്തിയതെന്നും അദ്ദേഹം പറഞ്ഞു. തിരഞ്ഞെടുപ്പ് കമ്മീഷണർ ജ്ഞാനേഷ് കുമാറിനെതിരായ ആരോപണങ്ങളെയും രാഹുൽ ഗാന്ധിയെയും അദ്ദേഹം രൂക്ഷമായി വിമർശിച്ചു.
"I am convinced that it is the Muslims and not Hindus who are bogus voters. I have seen several Muslim men and women wear a burkha and vote several times. That is why we have submitted objections against their inclusion in the electoral rolls in Vijayapura," Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, an expelled BJP MLA, said in Davangere on Sunday.
He told reporters that he had witnessed several incidents of bogus voting by Muslims, but never by a Hindu. "They have been helping the Congress with their fake votes and bogus voting for decades. It happens across the country. It is no secret. Now that the Election Commission of India, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, is trying to clean up the electoral rolls and that has upset the Congress leaders," he said.
"Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is going around calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a 'vote chor'. I will tell you who was the real 'vote chor'. It was Jawaharlal Nehru. He brought his party to power through electoral offences like bogus voting and booth capturing," Mr. Yatnal said.
"Mr. Gyanesh Kumar is a great officer. It is because of his relentless efforts during the SIR that ensured West Bengal is part of India today. Otherwise, it would have become a part of Bangladesh. Complaints against him are meaningless. He is in a constitutional position. Criticising him without proper reasons amounts to insulting the Constitution," he said.
Responding to the government of Keralam reopening an inquiry against Mr. Gyanesh Kumar, Mr. Yatnal said it was not a matter of significance. "There are allegations against every officer. Who does not face allegations during his service? It is nothing. There is an allegation that Rahul Gandhi sexually assaulted a Dalit woman in Amethi. Will they reopen the investigation into that? There are allegations of idol theft against some members of Sonia Gandhi's family. Will they reopen an investigation against them?" he said.