"Entire INDIA Alliance is United," says Congress MP Imran Masood
Congress MP Imran Masood asserts INDIA bloc unity as leaders march to the Supreme Court protesting Election Commission irregularities.
In a massive show of strength in the national capital, members of the INDIA bloc marched towards the Supreme Court on Monday, asserting their absolute unity behind Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi. The demonstration was sparked by allegations of serious irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process and a demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
Solidarity Amidst Allegations of Voter Theft
Speaking to the media during the march, Congress MP Imran Masood emphasized that the opposition is standing as a single entity. "The entire INDIA alliance is united. Everyone stands with Rahul Gandhi," Masood declared, highlighting the solidarity among various opposition parties protesting against the Election Commission.
The protest took an intense turn as Congress MP Amar Singh leveled severe accusations against the democratic framework of the country. He alleged that constitutional safeguards are under direct threat and accused the Election Commission of acting under the influence of the ruling BJP leadership.
“Democracy of India, Constitution of India are under threat. Voter list is being 'stolen', vote is being 'stolen', election is being 'stolen'. CEC is acting at the behest of PM and HM," Singh claimed. He further alleged that the names of crores of voters had been deleted from the electoral rolls, calling for the outcomes of four recent state elections won by the BJP to be declared void.
Demands for CEC Resignation and Judicial Intervention
The opposition leaders have laid out specific demands to address what they term as "vote chori" (vote theft). According to the protesters:
- The Chief Election Commissioner must resign immediately.
- Only voter registries existing before June 25 should be considered legally valid.
- The Supreme Court must intervene to hear concerns regarding the functioning of the Election Commission.
Sachin Pilot, another prominent Congress leader, criticized the heavy-handed response from law enforcement. He alleged that while the opposition seeks to protest in a peaceful, Gandhian manner, police personnel are using force against youth and detaining opposition leaders. "The entire country is on the streets today... What the CEC did is illegal and unconstitutional," Pilot stated.
A Diverse Front of Opposition Leaders
The march saw a massive gathering of various political heavyweights from the alliance, including leaders from West Bengal, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh. The presence of figures such as Mamata Banerjee, Tejashwi Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav, and leaders from the CPI and CPM underscored the scale of the mobilization.
While the atmosphere was charged with tension, RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha expressed his faith in the judiciary. Reacting to recent remarks by the Chief Justice of India (CJI), Jha described the CJI as a "ray of hope" and a vital institution for protecting democratic values during these "dark and dismal times."
The Samajwadi Party's Anand Bhadoriya warned that the struggle would not end easily, stating that the protest would continue until the CEC resigns and faces legal action. The alliance plans to submit a formal petition to the Supreme Court to seek immediate redressal for their grievances.