The INDIA bloc’s protest against the Election Commission entered its third day on Thursday, with Opposition leaders seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities
in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, along with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, are scheduled to meet President Droupadi Murmu as the Opposition steps up its protest.
The INDIA bloc MPs have now decided to move their demonstration to Gandhi Smarak, where they plan to stage a sit-in.
Opposition MPs head to Gandhi Smarak
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge hosted a lunch for INDIA bloc leaders at Moets restaurant in Connaught Place before announcing the next move.
“We all, the MPs of the INDIA alliance, are going to Gandhi Smarak, where we will hold a sit-in, and peacefully sitting there, we will only pray that the BJP government, Modi, and Shah are given wisdom,” Kharge said.
He said the Opposition wanted to highlight what it described as issues affecting the country, including “vote theft”, rising inflation and problems facing the youth.
Kharge said all INDIA bloc MPs were heading to Gandhi Smarak and called on the BJP government to “come to its senses”.
Rahul says 300 MPs want peaceful protest
Rahul Gandhi said around 300 MPs from the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha wanted to hold a peaceful protest but had been prevented from doing so for the past two days.
“Around 300 MPs—from the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha—wish to stage a peaceful protest. We have been prevented from protesting for two days now,” Rahul said.
He recalled that Opposition MPs were first stopped outside the Election Commission. They subsequently expressed their intention to protest at Jantar Mantar, but were stopped there as well.
“Yesterday, as you witnessed, we were stopped there as well; our people were assaulted,” Rahul Gandhi said.
He alleged that Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Gyanesh Kumar and Mohan Bhagwat had “hijacked India through a criminal conspiracy”, destroyed the Constitution and stolen votes.
“We, the Opposition, assure you that action will be taken. They will be brought to justice. This is our guarantee. You will see these four individuals brought to justice,” he said.
Kharge raises vote, inflation issues
Kharge said the INDIA bloc was going to the Gandhi Memorial to hold a peaceful sit-in and pray that the BJP government, Prime Minister Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah realised that their actions were not in the country’s interest.
He listed “vote theft”, inflation, youth problems and other issues as matters that, according to him, were against the public interest.
Kharge said the Opposition wanted to highlight what he described as attempts to take away freedoms secured through the country’s independence. He invoked Jawaharlal Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel, saying the leaders had secured freedom for the country.
“They are taking away our right to vote,” Kharge said, adding that the Opposition would pray for the government to stop stripping people of rights and freedoms, including the right to vote.
Protest enters third day
Rahul Gandhi said the Opposition had been seeking permission to hold a peaceful protest for two days.
“On the first day, we were stopped in front of the Election Commission. After that, we said that we wanted to go to Jantar Mantar and protest. And yesterday, you saw that we were stopped at Jantar Mantar, and our people were beaten,” he said.
Earlier, Rahul Gandhi, along with other INDIA alliance MPs, arrived in Connaught Place for the second lunch meeting of Opposition MPs.
The leaders are now heading towards Gandhi Smarak for the planned sit-in, while Rahul Gandhi, Kharge and Mamata Banerjee are set to meet President Murmu amid the ongoing protest over the SIR exercise and the demand for Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
