New Delhi, Oct 13 The opposition INDIA bloc and civil society on Tuesday vowed to unitedly fight for “restoration of the democratic process” in the country, with Rahul Gandhi asserting that the political and people’s resistance would continue and will triumph.
Addressing reporters after deliberations with INDIA bloc and civil society members at his residence, the leader of opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha said this is the opposition’s commitment that the people who have indulged in “vote chori” would be brought to justice, naming Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
Gandhi had hosted opposition leaders of the grouping together with civil society members and student leaders at his residence for tea.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi and several opposition leaders, including Tejashwi Yadav and Manoj Jha of the RJD, Mahua Maji (JMM), Harender Malik, Anand Bhadauria and Mohibullah Nadvi (SP), M A Baby (CPI-M), D Raja and P Sandosh Kumar (CPI), AISA chief Neha Bora, Dipankar Bhattacharya (CPI-ML), JMM’s Mahua Majhi and Mahua Moitra (TMC), attended the tea at Rahul Gandhi’s 5, Sunehri Bagh Road, residence here.
The LoP also said that they had extreme respect for the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice of India (CJI), and hoped they would play their role in this process.
“We have extreme respect for the Supreme Court, for the Chief Justice of India, for the judicial system. They have a role to play; we hope they will play that role.
“No matter what happens, no matter which institution plays a role or not, political resistance will continue, people’s resistance will continue and it will triumph,” Gandhi said.
He said that it is not simple that some “destroy” India’s Constitution and get away with it, and assured people of action against those who have indulged in “vote chori”.
“It is our commitment that the people who have done this — Mr Modi, who is the main architect; Amit Shah, who is the implementer; Gyanesh Kumar and others — they need to understand that the net is closing around them… It’s our commitment to people that those who have destroyed the Constitution will be brought to justice,” he asserted.
Gandhi also thanked people for participating in the massive protests on the streets, after they participated in the protest march to the Supreme Court.
He asserted that what they saw during the Monday protest was “an expression not of political parties standing here, but of the people of India”.
“We thank them for their support,” he said.
He also said that there were no different protests and all were together in this fight “to restore democracy in the country”.
After the more than one-and-a-half-hour meeting, Kharge said senior leaders of the INDIA bloc met and discussed the prevailing situation and how to carry forward this campaign to seek Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
“People are ready to expose PM Modi’s plan of ‘vote chori’,” he said.
“We will carry forward this united fight (protests) against the Modi government and ‘vote chori’,” Kharge said.
Tejashwi Yadav said one has seen the manner in which the CEC has tried to “crush” democracy at the behest of Modi and Shah, and the BJP.
“We all are united to save democracy and are ready to make any sacrifice.
“This is the country of Gandhi ji, Lohia ji, Bhagat Singh and Karpuri Thakur, and people are continuously trying to “hijack” constitutional institutions in the country. But the Election Commission and Gyanesh Kumar acted like a ‘puppet’, and the way he has tried to crush democracy, we all are united,” he said, adding that the fear in the government is evident after it denotified Jantar Mantar as a protest site.
D Raja said people are angry and are demanding the CEC’s resignation. He said the government cannot suppress the protests and vowed that they will fight for the restoration of Jantar Mantar as a protest site, saying it is people’s fundamental right to protest.
M A Baby said, “We will take our protest forward. The government first committed ‘vote chori’ and is now indulging in ‘chori’ of the Jantar Mantar protest site,” he said.
“Gyanesh Kumar has joined the ruling party’s team… He steals votes, protest site and democracy,” he alleged.
Supriya Sule said the Constitution is in danger and their united fight against “vote chori” will continue.
Launching a major offensive against the CEC, Sanjay Raut said Kumar is a “mafia” who has criminalised the entire system. “We know how to fight this mafia,” he said, adding, “This struggle under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi will continue.”
Sagarika Ghose alleged that Kumar-headed Election Commission is destroying free and fair elections in India and the opposition parties will not stop till he is removed as CEC.
She also alleged that the West Bengal government is “illegitimate” as it is in power through “vote chori”.
“Gyanesh Kumar must be dismissed and criminal proceedings be initiated against him and other officials who are involved in ‘vote chori’,” she asserted.
Neha Bora claimed that the BJP can compromise on democracy and the Constitution because they never had a role in making India’s democracy.
Civil society member Prashant Bhushan said protest is their constitutional right. The opposition and civil society are together in this movement for democracy, he said.
(PTI News)
