Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has criticized the Modi government over the security arrangements for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar amid continuing protests in Delhi. Gandhi called for 20,000 to 30,000 police personnel to be deployed on the streets and claimed that the government was making a serious mistake by focusing on Kumar’s protection.
Gandhi said that increased security around the Chief Election Commissioner would not stop the opposition from pursuing its questions about the Election Commission. He also claimed that police were instructed to beat young protesters, while members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were being granted greater freedom.
The remarks come at the height of political tension over the revision of electoral rolls and calls for Kumar’s resignation.
Rahul Gandhi Says More Police Deployment Will Not Stop Opposition
Gandhi said that the government should deploy between 20,000 and 30,000 police personnel on Delhi’s streets. He said the government’s decision to protect Gyanesh Kumar would not stop the opposition from continuing its campaign.
Gandhi said, “The more he is protected, the more we will eventually reach his controller,” which suggests the opposition hoped to get to what it considers the larger political responsibility behind the controversy.
Gandhi has repeatedly questioned Kumar’s position as Chief Election Commissioner and has demanded his resignation over alleged irregularities in the electoral roll revision exercise. The Congress and other opposition parties have said the process raises questions of electoral fairness and the freedom of voting rights.
The Election Commission has denied allegations of favouring any political party. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also rejects the opposition’s claims.
Rahul Gandhi alleges police are being ordered to beat young people.
Gandhi also made allegations about the conduct of police personnel during the protests. His side was hearing that officers were anxious because they were ordered to beat young people participating in demonstrations, he said.
He claimed that instructions were being issued to give RSS members a free hand. These claims were part of his criticism of the government’s response to the protests.
And the allegations can’t be established from just those statements. Gandhi’s comments also came as opposition and youth groups continued to argue with the government over the restrictions on demonstrations and the treatment of protesters in the capital.
On a separate press conference on Monday, Gandhi also criticized restrictions on movement in Delhi, saying people are being prevented from reaching the capital and trains and buses are being stopped. He described the city as a fortress and questioned why access to the national capital was being restricted.
Gandhi also presented videos that he said showed alleged police excesses against protesters. These claims have added to the political dispute over the police response to demonstrations.
Protests continue over Gyanesh Kumar and Electoral Roll Revision
The Chief Election Commissioner’s controversy has triggered a series of protests in Delhi. Opposition parties and youth activists have called for Kumar’s resignation over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The revision process has taken thousands of names off voter lists, including those of deceased people, people who have relocated and people who could not be traced. Opposition parties have objected to the process and said that it could disproportionately affect certain groups of voters.
The Election Commission maintains that the exercise is part of the voter verification process and said that people whose names were wrongly deleted can apply for re-enrolment. The BJP has said opposition parties are questioning legitimate electoral procedures.
Delhi’s security forces are also more secure amid the protests. Security in Delhi has been tight around the demonstrations. There have been restrictions in parts of the capital, and several metro stations were closed on Monday, and traffic diversions were announced ahead of planned protests.
The Congress also announced a march to the Supreme Court to submit a memorandum about what it calls “vote theft” and to demand Kumar’s resignation. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant declined a meeting request from the Congress delegation, saying the matter should be pursued through legal channels because it was already before the court, Reuters reported.
Gandhi’s comments show that the Congress will keep taking on the government over the issue. His charges of police behaviour and the treatment of RSS members will still be part of the political debate as protests and calls for accountability continue.
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