PTI
New Delhi
Upping the ante over the SIR row, the Congress on Friday staged protests by attempting to march towards state election commission offices in various parts of the country, demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s immediate arrest, removal from office, and an independent review of all decisions and electoral roll changes made under him.
The Opposition party also accused the Election Commission of carrying out an “unprecedented attack” on voter equality by allegedly creating a specific ‘Mark VIP’ feature in the BLO application and urged Kumar to either turn “approver” or face trial.
Several senior leaders, including party’s deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, and workers were detained as the police used barricades to stop them from marching towards the state election commission offices in various state capitals.
The protests come in the wake of The Indian Express report that questions were repeatedly raised on issues related to the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls within the three-member Election Commission (EC) by two of the three commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi. In Delhi, Congress leaders and workers staged a protest against Kumar, demanding his resignation and an independent audit of SIR of electoral rolls in the city.
Several party workers gathered at the Delhi Congress office on Rouse Avenue and marched towards the BJP headquarters before proceeding to the EC office.
Also, wearing masks bearing Kumar’s face and with their hands bound in chains, Indian Youth Congress workers in Delhi protested against the EC, demanding Kumar’s resignation.
Also, the Delhi Police detained several protesters at Jantar Mantar on Friday who were demanding the arrest of the CEC, organisers said. The All India Students’ Association (AISA) Delhi unit, along with civil society members, organised the protest, with demonstrators raising slogans against the Election Commission and demanding Kumar’s arrest. A senior police officer said the protesters had not sought permission for the demonstration.
Addressing a press conference here, Congress’ media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said all decisions taken by Kumar including SIR are “null and void”.
“We are sure the Supreme Court is watching what is happening and will take the right steps at the right time,” he said.
“We want to say to Gyanesh Kumar: it’s done bro. Heed Rahul Gandhi’s advice – resign and turn approver,” Khera said, adding that if Kumar does not do so, he should be ready to face trial.
Congress general secretary in-charge organisation KC Venugopal said, “Gyanesh will go, it’s a matter of time. And then Congress will make it happen.”
The protests held by our leaders and workers across the country demanding his removal are just the beginning, he said.
The protesters raised slogans and displayed posters and banners demanding accountability from Kumar as they marched from the IYC office on Raisina Road towards the EC headquarters.
In Guwahati, Assam Congress president Gogoi and several senior party leaders were detained while trying to break through police barricades during a protest demanding the removal of Kumar.
The police had put up barricades near Rajiv Bhawan, which the protesting leaders, including Gogoi, attempted to cross, following which they were detained.
Congress workers clashed with the police in Lucknow after they were stopped from marching towards the Uttar Pradesh Assembly.
The protesters, led by UP Congress president Ajay Rai, state in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam and Congress Legislature Party leader Aaradhan Misra, were stopped by the police amid heavy rain.
Rai alleged that Kumar had played a role in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s victory in Varanasi and demanded that the election be cancelled.
In Patna, Congress workers staged a march to the poll panel’s office in the city, demanding the resignation of Kumar. The police used water cannons to prevent the protesters from reaching the poll panel office.
During the around half-kilometre march, party workers raised slogans against Kumar, demanding his resignation and claiming that the EC was “compromised”.
In Jammu, scores of Congress workers and leaders were detained.
Congress MP and AICC general secretary Syed Naseer Hussain led the protest, with several senior party leaders, including former ministers and former legislators, participating in the demonstration.
A heavy contingent of police and paramilitary personnel was deployed around the office to prevent the protesters from proceeding. The protesters had brief scuffles with security personnel before several of them were detained, including the top leaders and taken away in buses.
