Thiruvananthapuram/New Delhi, Oct 7 Joining the INDIA bloc protest seeking resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, Keralam Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Wednesday said that every FIR against the Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for questioning electoral integrity is an “attack” on democratic dissent.
Satheesan, who walked from the Kerala House to the protest venue at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, said in an X post “Reached Jantar Mantar to stand with the nation’s leader Shri @RahulGandhi Ji and INDIA bloc MPs.
“The fight against irregularities in the electoral rolls and for free and fair elections continues. Democracy will not be silenced.”
Regarding the FIR lodged against Gandhi on Tuesday in connection with him allegedly forcibly entering the Akashvani Bhawan, the CM said that such attempts at intimidation cannot silence those who stand in defence of democracy.
“Those who believe this movement can be crushed through police cases are living in a fool’s paradise. The fight against vote theft will not stop. The fight to defend our Constitution will not stop.”
“The fight for every Indian’s right to a free and fair vote will not stop. No FIR. No intimidation. No abuse of power will silence this fight. Keralam stands firmly with Shri Rahul Gandhi,” the CM said in his post.
He further said that Indian National Congress was “forged” in the struggle against British rule and that spirit of resistance remains unshaken.
“Did anyone really believe that 45 cases could intimidate Rahul Gandhi or silence the Congress?” he asked.
Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi said that every FIR is a “medal on my chest” and asserted that he would continue to fight to protect the Constitution.
He also said there are 45 FIRs against him and his target is 100.
The Delhi Police registered an FIR against Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and their supporters for allegedly forcibly entering Akashvani Bhawan during the opposition’s march against the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, the two Congress leaders were among 260 people detained following an over eight-hour sit-in inside Akashvani Bhawan after an INDIA bloc march towards the EC office was stopped by police.
The opposition MPs were protesting against alleged irregularities in the functioning of the EC under the CEC and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, raising the issue of “vote chori”.
(PTI News)
