HYDERABAD: The INDIA bloc has decided to launch a nationwide agitation against alleged “vote theft” after Dasara, with large-scale protests planned across several major cities, including Hyderabad.
According to TPCC president B Mahesh Kumar Goud, the agitation would continue until Gyanesh Kumar resigns as chief election commissioner and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is put on hold. He warned that the movement would not be called off until these demands were met.
Mahesh also stated that the INDIA bloc decided to hold a massive public meeting at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi, most likely on November 1, followed by marches and protest demonstrations in major cities across the country.
The TPCC chief further stated that the INDIA bloc is also planning large-scale demonstrations in Hyderabad and Bengaluru, apart from Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and other states. He said a massive rally would be organised in Hyderabad, which is likely to see participation of Rahul Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders.
Meanwhile, Congress MP Mallu Ravi criticised the restrictions on protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, asserting that denying people the right to protest was unjustified. He said people were compelled to stage demonstrations at Jantar Mantar because of mistakes committed by the government. “If one protest site is removed, hundreds of new protest centres would emerge across the country,” he said.
Ravi reiterated that the INDIA bloc would launch a large-scale movement against “vote theft”, mobilising people across the country to demand accountability and protect democratic rights.
‘BJP frustrated by Rahul’s growing popularity’
Meanwhile, Congress Bhongir MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy alleged that the BJP was spreading misinformation about the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. He accused the saffron party of resorting to “cheap politics” because it is frustrated by the response its Janahita Yatra is receiving from the public.
In a press statement issued here, Kiran Kumar said that Rahul Gandhi had explained how the Election Commission of India is allegedly being misused under Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. He claimed that the BJP had launched a disinformation campaign because it is unable to digest the fact that Rahul Gandhi’s popularity is growing by the day.
Reacting to allegations that Rahul Gandhi’s security personnel pushed Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar during a rally, the MP said the claims were part of the BJP’s propaganda campaign. He explained that Rahul Gandhi prefers to walk alongside ordinary Congress workers, while security personnel prioritise ensuring his safety.
Kiran Kumar also pointed out that the chief ministers of Congress-ruled states and prominent leaders of the INDIA bloc had participated in Rahul Gandhi’s rally, which he said received an encouraging response from the public.
The MP also urged the Karnataka BJP leaders and the BJP’s social media wing to stop what he described as petty politics and misinformation against Rahul Gandhi.