Jammu, 26 September (H.S.): Scores of Congress leaders and workers were detained by police during strong protest in Jammu, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar.

AICC general secretary, incharge J&K and Ladakh, Dr Syed Naseer Hussain (MP) led the protest, with several senior party leaders, including former ministers and legislators, district heads participating in the protest demonstration.

The protesters raised slogans against Chief Election Commissioner and Prime Minister Modi . They also burnt their effigies while attempting to march towards the Election Commission office in Jammu.

A heavy contingent of police and paramilitary personnel, had been deployed around the Election office to prevent the protesters from proceeding further. The protesters had brief scuffles with security personnel. Scores of them, including the top leaders- Dr Naseer Hussain, CLP Leader Ghulam Ahmed Mir, Raman Bhalla, Ch Lal Singh, Tara Chand, Mula Ram, Ravinder Sharma, G M Saroori, Jugal Kishore, Yogesh Sawhney, Th Balbir Singh, Balwan Singh, Ved Mahajan, Manmohan Singh, Yash Pal Kundal and many others were detained and taken away in buses to District Police Lines, Gandhinagar. They were, however, released after nearly two hours.

Congress workers had gathered outside the EC office Rail Head Complex Jammu and attempted to gherao the premises as part of the party’s nationwide protest demanding Kumar’s removal. The Congress also sought an independent review of decisions and electoral roll changes made under his tenure.

AICC leader, Syed Naseer Hussain while speaking on the occasion hit out strongly on the Modi Govt and the CEC for Vote Chori” and manipulating the elections in the various Assembly and Lok Sabha to help BJP. He said that LoP, Rahul Gandhi had charged the CEC of acting at the behest of Modi-Shah to help BJP win elections, by all sorts of illegalities, whereby over 13 crores voters have been deleted so far through SIR.

The Indian Express report has vindicated Congress stand and the severe danger to democracy and election process by bypassing the two EC’s who have opposed CEC’s decision around 14 times in 10 months. He said that CEC Gyanesh Kumar is guilty of treason with the nation and should be arrested and sacked and prosecuted to save democracy in the country. The expose has established that all such unilateral actions of CEC on the behest of Modi Govt were illegal and need to be reversed.

He said that these manipulations had become evident from Haryana and Maharashtra elections and sufficient evidence was established from his Home State Karnataka also . He said that BJP and Modi Govt. has not only destroyed the electoral system but also indulged in breaking parties and bringing down the elected governments in all other illegalities to manage power despite anti incumbency .

CLP Leader GA Mir lashed out the Modi Govt for manipulating the series of elections in states and Lok Sabha against which LoP Rahul Gandhi and Congress Party had already presented evidence in public but the recent expose of Indian Express has brought out the entire truth behind the “Vote Chori” which is intolerable and threat to democracy. Mir said that entire election process has been hijacked by Modi Govt to stay in power.

Several other senior leaders including Vikar Rasool Wani, Tara Chand, Raman Bhalla, Ch Lal Singh also briefly addressed the gathering and targeted the CEC and Modi Govt seeking sack of Gyanesh Kumar and registration of FIR to save democracy.

The development comes days after a report by The Indian Express said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi recorded objections on at least 14 occasions over decisions and orders concerning SIR.

According to the report, the objections related to decisions allegedly taken without their knowledge or against their recommendations. The issues included changes to Form 6 and the management of electoral-roll data.

The protest was part of the Congress Party’s nationwide campaign against CEC. The party has asked its state units to hold marches to State Election Commission offices on September 25.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar