Day 3: INDIA bloc takes protest to Rajghat

Opposition MPs led by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi held a sit-in at Rajghat on Thursday, the third consecutive day of protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Opposition leaders said the agitation would continue until Kumar steps down.

The day began with tight security around the Sansad Marg roundabout in central Delhi, where the MPs had been expected to gather. Delhi Police and central forces cordoned off approaches to the protest sites. The Congress had declared October 8 a “Black Day for Indian Democracy”. General Secretary KC Venugopal directed State, district and block units to hold demonstrations. Protests were also reported in Patna, where RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav led an INDIA bloc march, and in Agartala.

Kharge hosted the MPs for lunch at Moets in Connaught Place, a day after a similar meeting at Sagar Ratna on Janpath. The MPs then boarded buses for Rajghat, where thousands of supporters walked alongside. Among those present were Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Venugopal, Vivek Tankha, Manickam Tagore, Jothimani, Rajiv Shukla and Deepender Hooda. The MPs stayed at the memorial for about an hour before leaving.

Kharge said the protest was peaceful and that the MPs went to pray for the Government’s good sense. He said vote theft should stop, those responsible for mistakes should resign, and citizens’ right to vote should be protected.

Rahul Gandhi told reporters that about 300 MPs had wanted to hold a peaceful sit-in, but were stopped near the Election Commission of India office on the first day and kept from Jantar Mantar on the second. He alleged that people were beaten. He also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Kumar of taking the country over through a criminal conspiracy. These are allegations made at the protest. The BJP has rejected the Opposition’s charges.

The street protests have been marked by police action. On Tuesday, MPs marched from Parliament towards the Election Commission headquarters and held an eight-hour sit-in at Akashvani Bhawan. Police said they detained nearly 250 people, including Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi. On Wednesday, the MPs’ buses were stopped on Ashoka Road, about 2 km from Jantar Mantar.

Delhi Police have registered at least three FIRs against the Gandhis. One relates to entering Akashvani Bhawan without permission. Others allege assault on police personnel and obstruction of government work during Wednesday’s protest. BJP spokespersons have alleged that Rahul Gandhi pushed a woman officer and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra elbowed another. The Congress leaders have not accepted the charges, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra alleged police manhandling.

In Bengaluru, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) held a “people’s tribunal” and a protest at Freedom Park. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, YouTuber Dhruv Rathee and actor Prakash Raj attended. Dipke alleged that voter deletions under the SIR aimed to disenfranchise those opposed to the BJP and said the agitation would continue until Kumar resigns. Rathee demanded the CEC’s resignation, saying the commission lacked transparency and accountability. Prakash Raj called for the SIR to be scrapped.

The CJP and student groups have called a “Delhi Chalo” protest at Jantar Mantar on October 10. The Home Ministry has approved 110 additional Central Armed Police Force companies for Delhi from October 8 to 12. The Delhi Excise Department has ordered liquor shops across the capital shut on October 9 and 10 as a precaution. The order covers L6, L6FG, L8, L10, L14 and combined L8 and L14 licences. Opposition leaders are likely to meet at Parliament House on Friday morning to decide the next step.

BJP accuses Priyanka of punching cop

New Delhi: As the Congress intensified its protest, the BJP on Thursday accused Rahul Gandhi of “inappropriately touching” a female constable and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra of “punching” a cop during their street protest, and claimed that the Congress leaders’ actions were not consistent with their slogan of “smash the patriarchy”.

The Congress was also trying to create “Nepal-and Bangladesh-like anarchy” in the country through its protests, as Rahul Gandhi is “desperate” to come to power, BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here, party spokesperson Sidharth Yadav accused Rahul and Priyanka of attacking police personnel during the protests. Yadav said the visuals being circulated were not of a protest but showed “the anarchy being spread in the national Capital” under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and the Congress.

He alleged that Rahul “inappropriately touched” a woman police constable and claimed that Priyanka “punched a female police officer in the stomach”.