Arguing that it is not proper for the Congress to defame constitutional institutions like the Election Commission of India for political motives, former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday urged the Congress to release evidence to prove their charges that voters’ theft had taken place in the previous Lok Sabha elections. 

“The evidence is an atom bomb. If you do not release it, then it may explode right there amid you,” Mr. Bommai told presspersons in Bengaluru. 

He expressed concern that the Congress was creating doubts over the integrity of constitutional institutions in the name of voter fraud. “First, they tried to cast suspicion on EVMs, and now they are targeting the commission itself. When a demonstration was organized to clarify the confusion about EVM hacking, the Congress did not attend,” he said.  

Pointing out that the State government officials serve as chief electoral officers and that political parties are also allowed to appoint their representatives at booths, he argued that it was unfair to target the commission now.

“Questions about inclusion or deletion of voters’ names should have been raised earlier itself when they had been given an opportunity participate in the process,” he maintained. 

 “Even now, if something is wrong with the commission, say it clearly with evidence. But Congress has not even submitted a written complaint,” he said. 

He alleged that the Congress had resorted to such allegations as it was shocked over Narendra Modi becoming Prime Minister for the third time. 

On internal reservation among SC communities, Mr. Bommai alleged that even now Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was not sincere about the matter.