New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday (September 30) announced a series of protests by the Opposition's INDIA bloc over the special
intensive revision (SIR) controversy, including district-level “Save Democracy” marches, a march by Opposition MPs to the Election Commission of India (ECI) and a mega rally in Delhi. Addressing a press briefing after a crucial meeting of INDIA bloc leaders, Kharge said the Opposition parties, along with social groups, would hold “Save Democracy” marches across districts from October 2 to October 8. “We have prepared a programme for INDIA bloc parties and social groups. From October 2 to October 8, we will do a ‘Save Democracy’ march at the district level,” Kharge said.
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The Congress president also announced that Opposition MPs would march to the Election Commission's office on October 6 amid the ongoing political row over the SIR exercise and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
“On October 6, all Opposition MPs will march to ECI,” Kharge said, adding, “We wanted to do it today only, but we want all MPs to be present.”
Kharge further stated leaders of the Opposition would seek an appointment with President Droupadi Murmu in the second week of October and submit a representation containing their allegations against the Election Commission and the government.
“Leaders of Opposition will seek appointment from President of India in the second week of October. We will give a representation to her on the malpractices done by ECI and this government,” he said.
The INDIA bloc also plans to organise five mega rallies, Kharge said the rallies would be used to take the Opposition’s allegations over electoral processes and citizens’ rights to the public. However, the date and venue of these rallies would be announced later. “We want to tell the people of this country how the government is snatching away their fundamental rights,” the Congress president added.
The Opposition’s protest programme will also include a major rally in the national capital on November 1. Kharge said the Delhi rally would focus on the Opposition’s “vote chori” allegations.
The announcements came after INDIA bloc leaders met to discuss their strategy over the SIR controversy involving CEC Gyanesh Kumar. The Opposition has accused the poll body and the Narendra Modi government of irregularities in the electoral process.
The meeting comes days after The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected on record at least 14 times over the past 10 months to decisions and orders on the SIR (Special Intensive Revision) that they said were issued without their knowledge or recommendation.
The meeting comes shortly after The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections at least 14 times in the past 10 months over SIR-related decisions and orders that were allegedly issued without their knowledge or recommendation.
