PATNA: Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Monday announced state-wide protests over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar and demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that he played a partisan role in the exercise.
Announcing the party’s decision, RJD national working president Tejashwi Yadav said the protests would be held on October 7 and 8. Protests will be organised at all block headquarters on October 7, followed by demonstrations at district headquarters on October 8. A protest march will also be taken out in Patna on October 8.
Tejashwi said leaders of the INDIA bloc were expected to participate in the ‘Aakrosh March’ in Patna. The leaders will march on foot to Lok Bhavan, where a memorandum will be submitted to the Governor, demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar over his alleged partisan role in the SIR exercise.
The Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly said the names of lakhs of people had been deleted from electoral rolls ahead of the Bihar and West Bengal Assembly elections.
“Large-scale irregularities were committed in the revision of electoral rolls in both states,” he alleged.
Responding to a media query, Tejashwi said the INDIA bloc would no longer remain silent over the contentious issue and would register its protest on the streets. He reiterated the Opposition’s resolve not to allow the ruling dispensation to weaken the democratic fabric of the nation.
“We will continue to fight for people’s democratic rights,” he told the media.
Earlier in the day, hundreds of job aspirants held a demonstration in Patna on Monday to protest the cancellation of an examination for the recruitment of police sub-inspectors.