INDIA bloc MPs headed towards Jantar Mantar on Wednesday to hold a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, with Congress leaders alleging that around 13 crore names have been removed from the voters’ list.
The opposition leaders are demanding Kumar’s resignation and have also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take responsibility for the alleged removal of names.
Congress MP Mallu Ravi said the opposition was fighting for the democratic rights of those whose names had been deleted from the electoral rolls.
“We are fighting for democracy in India. Names of about 13 crore people have been removed from the voters’ list. They have become second-class citizens. There should not be two types of citizens in India: one with voting rights and the other without voting rights. So, this is like a freedom struggle,” Ravi said.
Meanwhile, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram questioned why authorities stopped the private bus carrying INDIA bloc MPs as they travelled towards Jantar Mantar.
“We are travelling in a private bus. The bus has the requisite permit. The driver has a licence. We are passengers in a bus. Don’t citizens of this country have the right of free travel? Do we need to announce to the government where we are going? Do we need to get permits from the government to travel privately?” Chidambaram said.
“We are going on a private trip. What is the problem for the government? We are not protesting; we are peacefully travelling in a bus which has the requisite permit and with a driver who has the licence. So, what are we doing illegally? Why are you stopping us?” he said.
Congress leader Supriya Shrinate said opposition leaders had tried to meet the Election Commissioner on Tuesday but were not granted a meeting. She added that Delhi Police had told them they could not stage a demonstration at the location.
“When we wanted to meet the Election Commissioner yesterday, he did not meet us. Delhi Police told us that we could not demonstrate here. So, we will head to the Jantar Mantar and demonstrate. That is the designated protest site. We will continue to demonstrate until our demands are met,” Shrinate said.
Shrinate also questioned the police action, alleging that the government was attempting to obstruct the opposition’s protest.
“Why is Delhi Police becoming an obstruction? Why are we being stopped? What fear does Narendra Modi and Amit Shah have? The nation has caught their theft. They committed ‘vote theft’. Gyanesh Kumar is an illegal Election Commissioner. Narendra Modi is an illegal Prime Minister. Why are they not understanding this? That is what we want to tell the public,” Shrinate said.
The INDIA bloc MPs are heading to Jantar Mantar as part of their protest against the Election Commission and CEC Gyanesh Kumar. The leaders have said they will continue their demonstration until their demands are met.