In what they could not do in Parliament, the I.N.D.I.A bloc on Saturday held a symbolic ‘public impeachment’ of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in a novel protest against vote chori, insisting that he shoul…

In what they could not do in Parliament, the I.N.D.I.A bloc on Saturday held a symbolic ‘public impeachment’ of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in a novel protest against vote chori, insisting that he should be tried for “treason” as he “betrayed” Constitution and people.Turning the lawns of the residence of Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge into a ‘Jan Sansad’ (public’s Parliament) where activists, student leaders and ‘vote chori’ victims shared space with MPs, the Opposition sought to pin Kumar down on six charges, including shutting out two Election Commissioners and acting at behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.A single mother Anita Jaiswal and “dead” Kamta Prasad whose names were deleted from voter list, AISA leader Neha Bora and activists including Nikhil Dey, Anjali Bhardwaj and Yogendra Yadav spoke alongwith Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and other MPs at the programme, which came a day before a rally at Ramlila Maidan here.With former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar – another symbolic choice – chairing the proceedings that resembled Parliament proceedings with its settings and procedures, speaker after speaker targeted Kumar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Thirty-seven people, including those from 18 parties and one independent MP, spoke.Moving the resolution, Kharge set the tone by claiming that anti-BJP voters were targeted through a nationwide Special Intensive Revision after the “theft” was caught in Bihar while Rahul concluded the proceedings with a warning that they were “not going to forget or forgive” Kumar and the public impeachment is a “political weapon” aimed at those who destroyed the electoral system.Kharge said, “the Modi government has hatched every conspiracy since 2014 to cling to power – stealing MPs, breaking parties, stealing governments, electoral bonds, misuse of ED/CBI. And now vote theft — cut opposition votes and rule.” H D Kumaraswamy alleges Kharge family misusing sting probe to tarnish SiddaramaiahDuring the SIR, Rahul said 13.3 crore of nearly 15% of voters were deleted and that meant one in every Indian. He said in the 2024 election, the difference between the winner and the Opposition was 3%.”Now the Election Commission itself is saying that 15 per cent of those voters should never have voted, which means that the Election Commission itself is stating that the 2024 Lok Sabha election is an illegal election and the people who entered the Lok Sabha, the BJP people who entered the Lok Sabha, did so illegally. You cannot delete 13.3 crore voters and then also argue that the 2024 election was legal,” he said.Emphasising that the RSS objected to adult franchise in India while insisting that one will regret the decision, he said Jawaharlal Nehru had faith in Indian masses. “The BJP is trying to end democracy in India, but we will not allow that to happen…The continuation of Gyanesh Kumar in a Constitutional position will not ensure free and fair polls,” he said.“Fully supporting” Kumar’s impeachment, Rahul said the should be “tried for treason in court and justice should be served” while emphasising that it was “strange” that they had to gather in the “garden” of Kharge’s residence as all other institutions were shut for them. “…we had no option…I don’t think anything like this has ever happened in history. The entire opposition sitting in a garden to discuss the impeachment of the CEC…it is absurd…This may look like a meeting of MPs and ordinary citizens, but it is, in fact, a political weapon aimed directly at every single person who colluded to destroy the votes of the Indian people,” he said.Rahul insisted that Kumar “will not survive” as the CEC, as they have “enough proof to ensure that this gentleman” does not continue in office. “If the BJP insists on retaining him even after we reveal, its game will be clear for everyone to see,” he said.Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha Deputy Leader Sagarika Ghosh said the SIR in Bihar was the “pilot” while the “actual target” was West Bengal while CPI(M) Rajya Sabha leader John Brittas said the people’s verdict is that Kumar is “someone who has already lost moral and legal authority”.

Source: Deccan Herald