Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Akhilesh Yadav, Abhishek Banerjee, among other opposition MPs, took to the streets during
the INDIA bloc's opposition march from Parliament's Makar Dwar to the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters, demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation as the row over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) erupts further. High drama and dramatic developments unravelled during the protest march as hundreds of Opposition MPs gathered on Makar Dwar and participated in the march towards the ECI headquarters. During the protest, Rahul Gandhi climbed onto a police barricade waving a tricolour while other MPs staged a sit-in near the Sansad Marg. While many MPs were later detained and moved towards the Parliament police station, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi tried to enter the Akashwani Bhawan when they were stopped by the officials. Some supporters of the Congress party were heard saying that Rahul Gandhi was trying to enter the Akashwani Bhawan to cross over the other side to reach the Election Commission of India office. Many MPs who were part of the protest said that the Opposition will continue to protest till the time Gyanesh Kumar doesn't step down as the Chief Election Commissioner. Despite being prevented by police, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Deepinder Hooda entered the Akashvani Bhawan premises from the reception gate. They were later seen sitting under a tree. Area Deputy Commissioner of Police Sachin Sharma reached the spot with a large posse of policemen in a bid to evict the protesting opposition members.
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During the march, opposition MPs were seen carrying cutouts depicting Kumar in an RSS uniform and raised slogans, including “BJP hai CEC hai”, “Vote chor, gaddi chhod” and “Democracy not for sale”.
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Heavy security deployment and barricading had been put in place in and around Parliament and the Election Commission headquarters ahead of the march. Security personnel were stationed in the area much before the MPs began arriving.
The MPs gathered at Parliament's Makar Dwar before setting off towards Nirvachan Sadan, the Election Commission headquarters.
Ahead of the march, opposition MPs questioned the security arrangements and stepped up their demand for Kumar's resignation, citing the Supreme Court's observations on changes to Form 6, the statutory application for enrolment as a voter.
Congress MP Imran Masood accused Kumar of eroding public trust in the Election Commission.
The protest comes amid an opposition campaign over alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise and reports of differences within the three-member Commission. The poll body has rejected suggestions of a split and maintained that decisions relating to SIR were taken unanimously.
The Supreme Court on Monday said it had not approved any modified version of Form 6 and would examine the Election Commission's records to ascertain whether changes had been made and who had authorised them.
The observations were made while hearing a petition challenging alleged unilateral decisions by Kumar.
In its September 26 statement, the Commission had said the declaration attached to Form 6 for SIR had been upheld by the Supreme Court, while forms prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, would be used outside the SIR period.
With inputs from PTI
