Congress Protests Nationwide, Demands CEC Gyanesh Kumar's Resignation
Congress held protests in state capitals demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation over reported objections to SIR decisions; several leaders detained.
The Congress staged protests in state capitals across the country on Friday, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The demand follows a report that two election commissioners recorded objections 14 times in 10 months to decisions related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) taken by the poll panel.
Demonstrations were held in Delhi, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Bhopal, Patna, Guwahati and other state capitals. Several party leaders were detained, including Assam unit chief Gaurav Gogoi in Guwahati and Uttar Pradesh unit chief Ajay Rai in Lucknow.
Police used force against protesters at several locations. In Lucknow, Congress workers clashed with police after they were stopped from marching towards the UP Chief Electoral Officer's office in Hazratganj.
The party has announced district-level protests in all states on Monday, and a Congress Working Committee meeting in Delhi on Tuesday to decide the next course of action on the demand for the CEC's resignation.
Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said the removal of Gyanesh Kumar was only a matter of time. He described the protests as "just the beginning" and called for a "massive outpouring of the defenders of democracy" against those he said were out to destroy it. He urged every Indian concerned about saving democracy to step out and press for accountability over what he called a "daylight robbery" of the vote, and for severe punishment of those responsible.
Party communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh said citizens and Congress workers had taken to the streets demanding accountability for the usurpation of their constitutional right to vote and the actions of the Chief Election Commissioner. He alleged that a "terrified" government had unleashed brutal action against protesters, detaining Congress leaders and workers along with young citizens, students and social activists at multiple locations. Ramesh, a Rajya Sabha member, said the government was gripped by fear of growing public despair, anger and outrage, which he attributed to the Election Commission being "seized and coerced" into functioning in violation of constitutional principles and traditions.