Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge today hosted an INDIA bloc lunch meeting in Delhi, a day after a dramatic Opposition protest against the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The meeting was convened at Sagar Ratna on Janpath as opposition parties discussed their next steps over the persistent dispute over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and their charges of “vote chori”.
The lunch meeting brought together INDIA bloc MPs at a time of heightened political activity in the national capital. The Opposition has been demanding a meeting with the Election Commissioners and calling for the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar. The Election Commission has maintained its position on the issues raised by the Opposition.
The meeting was to take place at 1.30 pm at Janpath restaurant, according to the report. The Opposition will use the meeting to discuss its immediate strategy and to discuss further action over the electoral roll issue. Sources also said that INDIA bloc MPs would sign a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner seeking a meeting.
Heavy Security Around Janpath
As senior Opposition leaders gathered at the restaurant, security was stepped up around it. Delhi Police and Rapid Action Force personnel deployed barricades and surveillance vehicles around Janpath and nearby places. There were also traffic diversions as the government was preparing for possible demonstrations related to the ongoing protest.
The increased security was after Tuesday's clash between Opposition MPs and Delhi Police. Police had already been stepping up deployment in central Delhi as INDIA bloc leaders tried to march from Parliament to the Election Commission headquarters.
The presence of additional security forces around the restaurant reflected concerns over possible flash demonstrations or further attempts to march towards the ECI or other protest locations. The INDIA bloc’s luncheon took place in the context of police tight control in Delhi.
What happened in Tuesday's protest?
On Tuesday, INDIA bloc MPs marched from Parliament to the Election Commission office, raising their concerns about the SIR exercise and demanding action taken against the Election Commission leadership. The march was stopped by police barricades around Akashvani Bhawan.
Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other Congress leaders later staged a sit-in at Akashvani Bhawan premises after the march was halted. The demonstration went on for a number of hours before police detained the protesters and ended the standoff.
Police reported around 260 people were detained at Tuesday’s protest, including several Opposition members of Parliament. Some reports, however, indicated that there were about 50 MPs among those arrested, while others cited around 10.
Opposition members wanted to meet the Election Commissioners and express their views directly to them, the alliance said. The protest was part of the alliance's campaign for the electoral roll revision and against the electoral process.
INDIA Bloc plans next course of action
The lunch meeting comes as Opposition parties are trying to coalesce around how to respond to the protests. The alliance has also been demanding more scrutiny of the electoral-roll revision and calling for the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
The meeting also gives the constituent parties a chance to discuss how they want to proceed collectively. The immediate focus is on the SIR issue, the Opposition’s request for a meeting with the poll panel, and the political dispute over electoral processes.
The developments have placed central Delhi under a higher level of political and security scrutiny. With the Opposition promising that its campaign will continue, police are beefed up in areas that are adjacent to Parliament, the Election Commission, and planned protest activities.
The Sagar Ratna meeting thus became another important moment in the political struggle. The protest on Tuesday ended with the detention of several Opposition leaders, but the luncheon yesterday showed that the INDIA bloc was focusing on a way forward in coordinating its next action and to push back on the demands it has.
