Congress-led opposition on Monday launched a nationwide protest, building up pressure on the Centre and demanding the sacking of Chief Election Commissioner
(CEC) Gyanesh Kumar amid the 'vote chori' row. The Congress and other opposition parties have been demanding action against Gyanesh Kumar after reports surfaced that two Election Commissioners had raised 14 objections over a 10-month period over the ongoing electoral revision exercise in the country, including the inclusion of Form 6 and other issues. After these reports surfaced, the Opposition has questioned the authenticity of the elections, renewing its 'vote chori' allegation over the deletion of lakhs of voters. It has also alleged that the 'dissent' within the poll body over SIR undermines the sanctity of elections, demanding the rolling back of the voter list to pre-SIR status, cancelling elections conducted under Gyanesh Kumar, and arresting and impeaching the incumbent CEC. As Congress resorted to countrywide protest, former Union Minister and senior party leader P Chidambaram, on Monday, said that workers from all over the country protested against vote chori of the ECI and, in particular, against CEC Gyanesh Kumar. "We protested in Karaikudi, Sivagangai District of Tamil Nadu. There was great resonance among the people and anger against the ECI. 13,30,00,000 adults have been removed from the electoral rolls... Going by the experience and precedent of West Bengal, if these persons appealed to a Tribunal, 91% of the Appeals are likely to be allowed and the names will be restored to the electoral rolls," said P Chidambaram. Speaking further, the senior Congress leader said that the ECI must bear sole responsibility and blame for the illegal mass disenfranchisement. The SIR exercise is, step by step, being exposed as a fraud... SIR must be suspended immediately, and ways and means must be explored to redress the victims of the mass disenfranchisement. Upping the ante against the government, Congress student wing National Students' Union of India (NSUI) also protested outside the Election Commission (EC) office to demand Kumar's resignation. At the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) protest, some protesters wore masks of Kumar and had their hands bound in metal chains. Led by IYC national president Uday Bhanu Chib, the protesters planned to march from the IYC office on Raisina Road towards Jantar Mantar before proceeding to gherao the EC. The protesters, carrying Congress flags and posters demanding accountability from Kumar, climbed atop barricades. Some also carried copies of the Manusmriti and played tambourines -- an apparent reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi playing the instrument at a 'Bhajan Clubbing' event at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Park in Delhi to mark the 110th birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya. Many Congress youth members were detained by police during the march while demanding CEC's sacking.
