Dubbing the protests against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls a “second war of independence”, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday demanded an immediate halt to the exercise, the use of ballot papers in all future elections and annulment of all assembly polls held over the past two years.

Kharge alleged that the RSS and BJP’s ideology was deepening divisions in the country. “As long as RSS ideology is not eliminated, there will be no peace in the country,” he claimed. Alleging manipulation of electoral rolls and deletion of names of opposition supporters, Kharge questioned the integrity of the electoral process and the Election Commission.