NEW DELHI, October 29 (Aalimi Nation) – Opposition parties in the INDIA bloc will hold a "public impeachment" of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's official residence, 10 Rajaji Marg, in New Delhi on Friday, October 30 at 3:30 pm, Congress leaders have said. The event is billed as a curtain-raiser to the bloc's rally at Ramlila Maidan on November 1.
The plan is the latest in a series of protests by the Congress and its allies demanding Kumar's resignation, linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and what the opposition describes as electoral irregularities.
Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said on Tuesday that the party had been denied permission for the event. He said the government-run Ashok Hotel first approved it, then withdrew approval after police intervention. The party then decided to hold it at Ramlila Maidan, which it had booked from October 25 to November 3, but Venugopal said police stopped workers who went there to set up infrastructure.
"We don't know what the reason is," Venugopal said of the restrictions. He attributed the decisions to the central government rather than the Delhi Police, saying they reflected the wishes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, and alleging that "they are protecting their pet Gyanesh Kumar."
Venugopal asked: "How many permissions will you deny, Mr Amit Shah? How many people will you stop?" He added that if the party was blocked, it would "go to Amit Shah's house, PM Modi's house, and stage a massive dharna there." In a post on X, he accused the government of trying to suppress those seeking to defend democracy and said the Congress would continue its campaign until Kumar was removed.
He visited the Ramlila Maidan grounds with Delhi Congress leaders on Tuesday to review preparations for the November 1 rally. He said 21 parties in the bloc were part of the campaign.
Congress communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh, writing on X, said Kumar "has demonstrably violated the letter and spirit of the Constitution." He alleged that the Chief Election Commissioner "has, to put it bluntly, lied to the Supreme Court," and described him as "the willing executioner" for what he called a "Diabolical Duo whose turn will come next."
These are allegations by the opposition. No response from the Election Commission or the government to them was available at the time of writing.
The October 30 event will be held at Kharge's residence at 3:30 pm. The opposition's larger show of strength is planned for Ramlila Maidan on Sunday, November 1, where the parties have said they will press their demand for the CEC's removal. Congress has said police stopped preparations at the venue.
