Hyderabad, Sep 28 — The ruling Congress party in Telangana on Monday staged a huge protest in Hyderabad, demanding resignation and arrest of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) by the poll panel.
On a call given by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) for nationwide protests, leaders and cadres of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) took out a rally to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO).
Deputy Chief Minister, Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud, ministers Ponnam Prabhakar, Sridhar Babu, MPs Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy, Anil Kumar Yadav and other leaders participated in the protest.
They later met CEO C. Sudharsan Reddy and submitted a memorandum, demanding that the CEC immediately resign from his post.
The protestors gathered at Indira Gandhi statue on Necklace Road and raised slogans against the CEC and the BJP-led government at the Centre. They were carrying placards with slogans like ‘Vote Chori’ and ‘Democracy Ke Dushman’.
The protestors marched to the CEO's office at BRK Bhavan near the Secretariat and set afire an effigy of the Election Commission.
Deputy Chief Minister Vikramarka, who was carrying a copy of the Indian Constitution, called upon all democratic forces to join the Congress party's struggle
He asserted that the repeated warnings issued by Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, that a "vote theft" involving the systematic trampling of citizens' voting rights has been occurring across the country for years, has been proven true.
He expressed deep anguish over the fact that the two other Election Commissioners themselves have admitted to the manner in which citizens' votes are being deleted under the guise of SIR, describing it as an unfortunate development for the nation's democracy.
The Deputy CM highlighted that LoP Rahul Gandhi has been fighting from the very beginning to safeguard the Constitution and the citizens' right to vote.
He noted that even Election Commissioners themselves have now had to acknowledge the validity of Rahul Gandhi's remarks regarding "vote theft".
He questioned the state of democracy in the country if the right to vote—the very lifeblood of democracy—is trampled upon.
He urged all political parties that believe in democracy and the Constitution to set aside their differences and join hands with the Congress, criticising those who lack faith in the Constitution for staying away from this movement.
Asserting the Congress party's unwavering faith in Indian democracy and citizens' rights, he made it clear that the struggle would not cease until every citizen secures their right to vote.
Addressing the protestors, Mahesh Kumar Goud said that the Election Commission of India, which is an autonomous body, had become a tool in the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He said that such a despicable thing had not happened since Independence.
Former minister Danam Nagender said the Supreme Court should suo moto take up the case relating to the allegations against the CEC.