INDIA Bloc leaders pay tribute to Mahatama Gandhi at Raj Ghat, continue demand for CEC's resignation

Following two days of intense protests in the national capital, INDIA bloc leaders, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, and MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat on Thursday, as leaders maintained their demand for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Following two days of intense protests in the national capital, INDIA bloc leaders, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, and MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat on Thursday, as leaders maintained their demand for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation over the alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. This marks the third consecutive day of protest by the opposition MPs after they staged a march to Nirvachan Sadan on Tuesday and protested near Jantar Mantar on Wednesday. The MPs boarded the bus to move towards the Raj Ghat.

Congress General Secretary (Organisation) and MP KC Venugopal highlighted the significance of the move by the opposition. , "This is the greatest message we are giving. Mahatma Gandhi led the freedom fight for India. The entire democracy is completely finished by Modi and Shah through Gyanesh Kumar. We have come here to pray to Mahatma. This is one of the most powerful agitations...We will let you know (the next course of action)," he told reporters.

Speaking to ANI, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said the country was united behind the demand, stating the central leadership should "listen to the voice of the country". "The entire country is united today. The country demands Gyanesh Kumar's resignation. PM should bow before the nation and remember that he himself had called himself 'Pradhansevak'. As the Prime Minister, he should listen to the voice of the country and leave, trying to win the election through deceit with the help of the Election Commission," he said.

Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu claimed that the right to vote was being "snatched away". "Every citizen of this country has the right to their own vote. That is the beauty of this democracy. The fundamental trait of any democracy is to give voting rights to its citizens by which they select their own Govt. That is being snatched away today. It means you are directly attacking democracy," he said.

He emphasised that Congress MP Rahul Gandhi was fighting for citizens, not his party. "Today, Rahul Gandhi is not fighting for the votes of his own party, his own vote. He is fighting for the votes of citizens of this country. That is the fundamental right of the citizens of this country. You can't snatch it away," he said.

"EC's fundamental duty is to create a trust and confidence among the citizens of this country. But today, every voter is expressing doubt on the EC. Once this doubt arises, it is not the EC's duty to come out and prove itself. Is it not the duty of the CEC to step down and apologise to the country?" he added. Speaking to reporters earlier, Kharge said, “We, the members of the INDIA alliance, are heading to the Gandhi Memorial to stage a peaceful sit-in protest. We will sit there and pray that the BJP government, specifically PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, be granted the wisdom to realise that their actions are not in the nation's interest. Whether it is the issue of vote theft, the rising inflation, the problems facing the youth, or any other crisis they have created, everything goes against the public interest.”

Rahul Gandhi alleged a criminal conspiracy by Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, CEC Gyanesh Kumar and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, affirming that they will be brought to justice. He said, “About 300 MPs want to hold a peaceful protest. We are not being allowed to hold the protest for the past two days. On the first day, they stopped us in front of the Election Commission; the next day we were stopped near Jantar Mantar. Our people were beaten. The reality is that Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Gyanesh Kumar and Mohan Bhagwat have hijacked India with a criminal conspiracy, destroyed the Constitution and did ‘vote chori’. Action will be taken, they will be brought to justice; this is our guarantee.” (ANI)