New Delhi: Amid heavy security arrangements and barricading by the Delhi Police, leaders of the INDIA bloc on Monday began a protest march towards the Supreme Court, announcing that they would seek legal intervention to safeguard democratic and constitutional rights.
The opposition leaders also demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of “vote theft” and irregularities in the electoral process.
Speaking to reporters, Congress MP Manish Tewari said, “We want to submit a representation to the Hon’ble Supreme Court. Therefore, the entire Opposition is collectively going to Barakhamba Road. Let’s see where it goes from here.”
Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said the protest was part of a broader campaign that had been underway for some time.
“This has been an ongoing protest. It did not begin today. This campaign has been underway since the day Rahul Gandhi first raised the issue of SIR at Indira Gandhi Bhawan and established, with facts, that it was a completely fraudulent, wrongful and deceptive process,” he said.
Dikshit added that the campaign had succeeded in drawing public attention to the issue, with students, organisations and political parties joining the movement. He said the protest would continue.
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi alleged that the BJP was apprehensive about losing power.
“The BJP is scared. They know that power will not remain with them for much longer,” he said.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh also demanded the CEC’s resignation, saying, “Vote theft; Gyanesh Kumar must resign.”
AAP Delhi President Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “We are going to Jantar Mantar to see whether the police stop us or allow us to proceed. We have the right to express our views.”
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav said his party has been continuously fighting against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and had launched the campaign in Bihar.
He alleged that the Election Commission had become a “complete puppet” of the BJP and accused it of facilitating vote theft and conducting fraudulent elections.
“Democracy is being crushed. When democracy is continuously under attack and being undermined, how can we remain silent?” Yadav said.
Meanwhile, a bus carrying Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders departed from the Constitution Club of India as the opposition’s protest march towards the Supreme Court got underway.
(IANS)
