Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday called on Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign, claiming that he had received messages indicating that the poll chief had repeatedly attempted to contact him. Gandhi reiterated his opposition to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and said the protest would continue for as long as necessary.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi ahead of a march towards the Supreme Court, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha said the Chief Election Commissioner should step down and make way for a resolution to the dispute. Gandhi also urged young people to raise their voices on the issue and support the ongoing protests.
During the press conference, a journalist asked Gandhi why he was targeting Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar directly rather than the Election Commission as an institution. The journalist also asked whether Kumar had ever attempted to speak to him.
In response, Gandhi said he received messages from Kumar and claimed that the Chief Election Commissioner was watching his press conferences. He added that Kumar was not a criminal but was being made to carry out the actions in question. Gandhi said the easiest course would be for Kumar to resign and step down from his position.
The remarks came amid the Congress's continuing opposition to the Election Commission's role and the conduct of the SIR exercise. No response from Kumar to Gandhi's claims was available in the information provided.
Gandhi also raised the issue of police action against protesters in Delhi. He alleged that the city had been turned into a jail and that authorities were attempting to prevent people from demonstrating.
He claimed that police personnel were also troubled by the situation and were questioning why young people were being beaten and why they were being instructed to stop protesters. Gandhi further alleged that people associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) had assaulted women. He also referred to attempts to restrict protesters and remarks about the use of pellet guns.
Responses from the parties concerned were not available in the information provided. The allegations made by Gandhi have not been independently verified in this report.
Gandhi said protesters had been stopped by police on multiple occasions, referring to restrictions at Jantar Mantar and the possibility of being stopped again on Monday. He argued that the movement should not be viewed solely as an event spanning the previous five days, saying restrictions on protesters had been imposed over a longer period and were now becoming more visible.
He urged protesters to remain patient and persistent. Gandhi said people could become tired of police action, but police personnel were also becoming tired. He further claimed that police personnel were questioning why Kumar was being protected.
Referring to the words “Patience” and “Perseverance”, Gandhi said sustained effort would be necessary to continue the movement. He said the protesters would not retreat even if the struggle took one month, two months or a year.
Gandhi linked the opposition to the SIR exercise to the future and dignity of young people, describing the issue as important for the people of the country. He urged young people to regard the campaign as a fight for their future and their dignity.
He also appealed to people who could not participate directly in the protests to demonstrate their support in other ways. Gandhi said people could express solidarity when protesters were before the Supreme Court and make clear that they opposed the prevailing situation and would not accept it.
Gandhi said a petition would be filed in the Supreme Court against the SIR exercise. According to his remarks, the campaign would continue through both legal proceedings and public protests. He did not provide details about the filing date, the precise form of the petition or its legal grounds.
Gandhi said young people who could not reach the protest site could still express their opposition. He urged people to communicate their views on the issue through different means.
He said continued democratic protest did not necessarily require people to be physically present on the streets, adding that they could express their dissent and support through other channels. Gandhi called for wider participation, linking the issue to young people's involvement and their future.
Gandhi's remarks came amid an ongoing political dispute over the Election Commission's role and the SIR exercise. He demanded Kumar's resignation and reiterated that the Congress would continue its opposition to the issue.
His statements covered political protests, police action, youth participation and legal proceedings. Gandhi said a petition would be filed in the Supreme Court while also urging people to voice their support for the movement.
The next developments concerning Kumar's alleged attempts to contact Gandhi, the allegations against police personnel and RSS-linked individuals, and the proposed legal challenge to the SIR exercise remain subject to official responses from the parties concerned and further legal action.
