New Delhi: The INDIA bloc will hold its planned 'public impeachment' of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's
official residence on October 30, news agency PTI reported, citing sources. The venue was finalised after the opposition's attempts to organise the event at the Ashok Hotel and Ramlila Maidan allegedly failed to secure the required permissions. Sources said Kharge's residence at 10, Rajaji Marg, will host the event, which is planned as a curtain-raiser for the INDIA bloc's November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi. The Congress on Tuesday claimed it had been denied permission to hold the 'public impeachment' of Kumar. The party accused the government of trying to "silence" the voice of common people after "destroying" the electoral system. Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal alleged that the government-run Ashok Hotel had initially granted permission for the event but later withdrew it following police intervention. Venugopal said the Congress had booked Ramlila Maidan from October 25 to November 3 and decided to move the event there after the permission issue at the hotel. He said 21 INDIA bloc parties had planned the 'public impeachment' of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on October 30 as a curtain-raiser for the November 1 rally over the "vote chori" charge. "The day before yesterday, our people came to construct the infrastructure here and the police stopped them. We don't know what the reason is," Venugopal said on Tuesday. He was accompanied by Delhi Congress leaders during a visit to Ramlila Maidan to review preparations for the rally. Venugopal alleged that the decision to stop the arrangements was not taken by the Delhi Police but by the central leadership. "This means it is not the Delhi Police's decision. It is the decision of PM (Narendra) Modi and (Home Minister) Amit Shah and they are protecting their pet Gyanesh Kumar," he alleged. In a post on X, Venugopal said, "First they destroy the electoral system, and now they are trying all kinds of tricks to silence those who fight to save our democracy. "Let it be very clear, come what may, we will not rest until Modi-Shah's puppet Gyanesh Kumar is removed. If they stop us here, we will go to Amit Shah's house, PM Modi's house, and stage a massive dharna there. But we will fight to the finish, and until our mission is accomplished," he said. Venugopal also accused the government of trying to "shut down criticism" against it. "How many permissions will you deny, Mr Amit Shah? How many people will you stop?" he said. The planned event and the November 1 rally are part of a series of protests by the Congress and other opposition parties demanding Kumar's resignation over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and alleged electoral irregularities.
