LUCKNOW: Amid the controversy over the functioning of the Election Commission of India, Congress workers held nationwide protests on Monday demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, with some workers defacing the main gate and walls of his residence in Agra.
Congress workers reached Kumar’s residence in Vijay Nagar on Monday morning, raised slogans and put up stickers and pamphlets outside the house. They later used black spray paint to write “Gyanesh Gaddar” and “Vote Chor” on the main gate and walls. Videos and pictures of the incident were circulated on social media.
Sharing clips of the protest, the Indian Youth Congress, the youth wing of the party, wrote on X, “In Agra, Congress workers smeared black ink on the house of “Gyanesh Gaddar”.”
Kumar has not yet reacted to the incident.
Congress has been protesting and demanding the CEC’s resignation amid a political row over the functioning of the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
On Friday, the Uttar Pradesh Congress unit also staged a protest. "Election Commission has failed in its constitutional responsibility of conducting free, fair and transparent elections,” said Ajai Rai, Uttar Pradesh Congress president said.
Congress Uttar Pradesh in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam claimed that the crime had been proven. “They have committed treason against the country when the Constitution had given them a responsibility to conduct free, fair, and transparent elections.”
Protests were also held in other parts of Uttar Pradesh. In Lucknow, police stopped Congress workers marching to gherao the Election Commission office, leading to a confrontation. Protesters climbed onto barricades and there was pushing and shoving.
In Kashi, Congress workers hit a poster of the Chief Election Commissioner with shoes, while women workers joined the protest carrying bangles. A scuffle also broke out between Congress workers and police in Gorakhpur, where police tied a rope outside the District Magistrate’s residence to block their way.
The protests came after an investigative report by an English-language daily newspaper claimed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections on several occasions over decisions and actions within the poll panel, including those related to electoral-roll revisions and the SIR.
The ECI has maintained that differences of view and written observations are part of its internal deliberations. It has also said decisions on the SIR were taken unanimously.
