A massive drama unfolded in Delhi on Tuesday as INDIA bloc MPs led a march to Akashvani Bhavan in a bid to enter the Election Commission of India (ECI)'s office. The MPs demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, whom they have accused of facilitating alleged ‘vote theft’.
In a media interaction, Rahul Gandhi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat hijacked the nation through 'vote chori', and Gyanesh Kumar helped them. Follow live updates here.
The BJP also countered allegations, saying the march to the EC office was yet another attempt by the Congress and its allies to create anarchy and relaunch Rahul Gandhi.
‘Intoxicated by defeat’
Deep Dive
What are the allegations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar by the INDIA bloc?
Why did Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders march to the Election Commission office?
How has the BJP responded to the protests against the Election Commission?
The BJP claimed that Congress had become “intoxicated” by its defeat in several states and questioned its alleged support for giving voting rights to “absent, shifted, dead and duplicate voters” without verification.
“I am saying it again—what is the Congress’s intention behind giving voting rights to absent, shifted, dead and duplicate voters without any verification, and whom does it want to benefit,” BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi asked on Tuesday.
He also slammed the opposition parties for "theatrics on the streets", according to news agency PTI.
{{/usCountry}}He also slammed the opposition parties for "theatrics on the streets", according to news agency PTI.
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His rebuttal came as protests against CEC Gyanesh Kumar and the alleged irregularities in poll body decisions entered the fifth day. The controversy erupted last month, after a report by The Indian Express claimed that election commissioners Vivek Joshi and Sukhbir Singh Snadhu objected on record at least 14 times in the last 10 months to decisions and orders mostly related to the the SIR.
Also Read: SC refuses to restrain Gyanesh Kumar, says can't pass order based on news report
Rahul's ‘treason’ charge, attack on Modi, Shah
The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat have "hijacked" the country with the help of Gyanesh Kumar.
"The whole country believes this, the youth of the country also believe this. The police people who were stopping me are also saying this. The reality is known to everyone," he said.
Rahul Gandhi also said that over 300 Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs led a march from the Parliament today and only wanted to meet Gyanesh and other ECs.
He also questioned why the police were stopping them even though they were barely 50 yards away from the EC office.
The Opposition's main argument revolves around the alleged deletion of over 13 crore voters during the SIR process.
Notably, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) is also set to join the INDIA bloc's stir against the CEC. The party's Parliamentary Party leader in the Rajya Sabha Manas Mangaraj said the decision was taken at the direction of party president Naveen Patnaik. "As directed by our party president Patnaik, oor MPs will participate in the protest march," Mangaraj said, as quoted by news agency ANI.
Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi along with other MPs were earlier stopped by security personnel on Parliament Street in front of the Akashvani Bhawan and the Niti Aayog office during their march to demand the CEC's resignation.
Also Read: Case registered against SP district chief, 9 others for burning CEC's effigy in UP's Kaushambi
According to PTI, several opposition leaders, including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Trinamool Congress MPs Abhishek Banerjee and Derek O'Brien, were detained after police stopped the march.