New Delhi [India], October 6 (ANI): High drama unfolded in the national capital on Tuesday as opposition INDIA bloc MPs, including Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, climbed atop heavy iron barriers near the NITI Aayog office, waving the tricolour while marching towards the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters.
Samajwadi Party MP Zia-ur-Rehman Barq, along with his fellow MPs, were also seen atop the barricades as Delhi Police personnel attempted to halt the advancing march along the high-security corridor en route to Nirvachan Sadan.
Raising slogans demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and CEC Gyanesh Kumar, the INDIA bloc leaders and supporters took to the streets of the national capital as their march towards the Election Commission began.
The INDIA bloc MPs later sat in protest near the NITI Aayog office.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi and NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule, along with several other INDIA bloc MPs, took part in the protest march.
Taking a jibe at the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, in a post on X, said, “Gyanesh, it’s done, bro. Time to resign.”
Earlier, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the government was stripping people of their rights and accused the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of acting at its behest during the INDIA bloc march against CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
Kharge said the universal adult franchise secured after Independence was being undermined and alleged that the Election Commission was functioning under the government's direction.
"Look, we are fighting against the injustice of the fact that the government is stripping away everything—all the rights of the people. And today, the universal adult franchise that we received after Independence—this government is working to finish it off," Kharge said.
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav also launched a blistering attack against the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the ruling BJP, accusing the poll body of orchestrating large-scale voter deletion and asserting that the ruling party is "terrified" of the opposition's push for transparency.
Speaking to reporters amid heavy police barricading during the INDIA bloc’s protest march toward the Election Commission headquarters, Yadav directly challenged Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar to explain alleged irregularities in Uttar Pradesh's electoral rolls.
"We never fear the blazing sun or the sweat. The people of the BJP are terrified, which is why barricades have been put up everywhere," Yadav said.
Confronting the poll panel with specific allegations of voter suppression, the SP chief remarked: "If the BJP is so impartial, let Gyanesh Kumar come here and explain whose signatures were forged in the name of Nandlal Nishad. Who fabricated 100 forms in the name of Dashrath? The CEC must come here and answer. We caught them... the Samajwadis caught this red-handed."
"The rules clearly dictate that you cannot delete more than five votes or submit more than five Form-7 applications. Yet, over 100 forms were fraudulently filed," Yadav added, alleging that the poll body had repeatedly turned a blind eye to electoral misconduct in previous assembly and parliamentary elections.
Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister P Chidambaram also hit out at the BJP over the ongoing voter roll controversy, asserting that the Chief Justice of India (CJI) had explicitly clarified in open court that the Supreme Court did not approve any modifications to Form 6.
Speaking to reporters, Chidambaram dismissed the ruling party's defence of the Election Commission, stating that the apex court's remarks on the matter were already a matter of public record.
"The BJP obviously cannot read Hindi or English. The Supreme Court Chief Justice clearly said, 'we have not approved any changes to Form 6.' He said that once and that is being broadcast several times. He said it in open court. There are several lawyers who listened to that statement," Chidambaram said.
Questioning the ruling party's claims, the former Union Minister asked, "How can the BJP blatantly deny that the CJI did not say that? He said it clearly."
Explaining the legal character of the revised paperwork, Chidambaram added, "I have seen the declaration, and it is indeed a modification of Form 6. It is an addition to Form 6, and an addition also means modification."
The march comes amid the Opposition's sustained campaign against alleged discrepancies in electoral rolls and its demand for greater transparency from the poll panel.
Leaders of several INDIA bloc parties have participated in the march and raised their concerns before the Election Commission (EC). The protest is part of a broader "Save Democracy" campaign announced by the Opposition, under which its leaders have been holding demonstrations and public programmes against the EC.
The march to Nirvachan Sadan is expected to further intensify the political confrontation between the Opposition and the poll panel over electoral roll-related issues. (ANI)
Tricolour in hand Rahul Gandhi climbs barricades, sets tone for INDIA bloc protest against CEC
