New Delhi, Oct 12: Upping the ante against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said INDIA bloc leaders will march to the Supreme Court on Monday and file a petition against the poll panel chief and ‘vote chori’.
Addressing a press conference at the Indira Bhawan headquarters of the Congress, he also asked the CEC to turn approver and resign as the opposition’s fight was against the bigger powers that were behind him.
“Resign, turn approver; you (Kumar) have made a mistake but you are not the mind behind the mistake,” he said.
“We know Gyanesh Kumar is unable to sleep at night; I am telling him directly ‘you will not survive as CEC'”, he said.
Gandhi also claimed that 200 officers of the government were in “touch with them” and providing them with information.
Noting that there was resistance earlier too but it had not spilled over the streets in the form of protests, the former Congress president said this fight is not going to stop and will continue even if it takes days or years.
People should have perseverance and continue with the protests as the country cannot be saved in a day or two, he said, while describing the current protests as “tandav”.
“This is like Shiva’s dance and anyone can join Shiva’s ‘baraat’ (wedding procession),” he said.
INDIA bloc leaders are set to take out a “Chalo Delhi – March for Democracy” to the Supreme Court on Monday and will then file a petition before the court.
Opposition leaders have converged at the Connaught Place-Barakhamba Road junction for the march.
“We had written a letter to the CJI. He directed us to file a petition. Now, leaders of the INDIA alliance will march to the Supreme Court against ‘vote theft’ and file the petition. In this fight to protect democracy and the Constitution, fellow citizens, let us march step in step with us. Reach Connaught Place and become part of this march. If you can’t come, raise your voice from wherever you are!” Gandhi said on X using the hashtag “#ChaloDilli”.
“We invite all Indians to support us,” he said, adding anyone who wants to protect the Constitution, no matter which party they belong to, can come.
“If people from the BJP also think that an attack is being made on the Constitution, then you come too. This is a fight to save the Constitution, a fight for your future. If you can’t come directly, then when we are filing a petition in the Supreme Court at 3 PM, show solidarity and express yourself. Tell the country that what the Modi government is doing is wrong and we won’t let it happen,” Gandhi said, adding that they don’t need to be afraid.
The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha noted that there were multiple fights taking place and claimed that there is a perception fight with the government on one side and the children and rest of India on the other.
“We want India to believe that India is not scared of anything. Forget Narendra Modi, India can never be scared of anyone,” he said while asserting that, “We are fighting multiple battles… We are winning on all fronts”.
Referring to curbs in the city, Gandhi said the fact that Delhi is barricaded is an “illusion”, because the minds of Delhi are not barricaded.
“People can see that Narendra Modi is blocking the entire town, because of what – prove to us that you have not cheated in the election,” he said.
Asserting that the Constitution is their religion, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said “till the time the Constitution is not upheld, the Election Commissioner does not go and election system is not revamped, the youth of the country are not going to stop.”
“Five criminals will face justice. Five criminals have attacked the idea of India and attacked its soul. We will not budge or stop, no matter how much time it takes,” he said.
“Narendra Modi’s blueprint, his horoscope is with us. And this fight is to save the Constitution and not about Rahul Gandhi or Narendra Modi. We don’t hold importance in this fight.
“The importance is of India and its Constitution, the expression of people and the future of the country. I urge all opposition leaders, all party workers, the youth that this is the fight for your future and your dignity and please join us,” he said.
The opposition has been demanding the resignation of the CEC after a report by The Indian Express said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected on record at least 14 times over the last 10 months, mostly to decisions and orders related to the SIR of electoral rolls.
Under fire over objections raised by two of its commissioners, the Election Commission had asserted that differing views and observations are a normal part of deliberations in any institution and that all its orders carry full legal sanction and follow established statutory procedures.
Gandhi also questioned the curbs imposed across Delhi “The question is why is Delhi jailed. Why is the capital city of India in jail. People are being stopped from reaching Delhi. People are being stopped from coming in buses and trains. Delhi has been turned into a fortress,” he said.
With police posted everywhere, he said, they want that 30,000 cops should be standing on the roads. “We want to show to the country that the Narendra Modi government is protecting Gyanesh Kumar. The more they do so, the better for us,” he asserted.
He also claimed the police are also questioning why they are being asked to stop and beat up the youth. (PTI)
