Rahul Gandhi accused the central government of protecting Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar before an INDIA bloc march to the Supreme Court. He said the campaign would continue until Kumar was removed from office.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the march, Gandhi said large numbers of people were asking why Kumar had not resigned. He described the government's decision to protect the Chief Election Commissioner as a serious mistake.
Questions over police restrictions
Gandhi also criticised the police response during the protests. He alleged that people were being prevented from travelling to Delhi and that trains and buses were being stopped. He said the capital had been turned into a heavily secured zone.
He said the protesters wanted between 20,000 and 30,000 police personnel deployed on the streets. According to Gandhi, the deployment would help show the country what he described as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's protection of Kumar.
Gandhi further alleged that the more the government protected Kumar, the closer the protesters would get to those he described as responsible for that protection. He said 50 percent of police personnel were telling protesters that their actions were right and should continue.
Gandhi placed police, the ITBP, the CRPF and the people of India on one side of the dispute. He named Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Ajit Doval, Gyanesh Kumar and four to five Election Commission officials on the other side.
He alleged that this group was helping with what he called vote theft and the hijacking of the country. These remarks were made as political allegations during the protest campaign.
Petition and Chief Justice response
Gandhi said he and the Congress president had written to the Chief Justice of India about what they described as concerns over the “murder of democracy” and the fairness of elections. He said the Chief Justice responded and directed them to file a petition.
Gandhi said INDIA bloc leaders and he would go together to the Supreme Court to submit that petition. The planned visit was described as a meeting with the Chief Justice of India.
However, the Chief Justice had already addressed the meeting request. He said he received a letter about the request and replied the previous night, explaining why he would not be able to meet the group.
Gandhi also claimed that 200 government officials were in contact with him and providing information. He alleged that Kumar was unable to sleep at night and told the Chief Election Commissioner that he would not remain in .
The report also noted that six Delhi Metro stations were scheduled to remain closed until 4 PM because of security concerns. The closures were presented in connection with the opposition's Supreme Court march.
Conclusion
Rahul Gandhi's allegations centre on the Chief Election Commissioner, election fairness and restrictions linked to the INDIA bloc's planned Supreme Court action. The Chief Justice's response indicated that he would not meet the group, while the petition remained the stated next step.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What did Rahul Gandhi accuse the Centre of doing?
He accused the central government of protecting Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Q. What did Gandhi say about the movement?
He said it would continue until Kumar was removed from office.
Q. What police-related concerns did Gandhi raise?
He questioned restrictions on travel to Delhi and alleged that trains and buses were being stopped.
Q. What petition did the INDIA bloc plan to submit?
Gandhi said INDIA bloc leaders would submit a petition concerning democracy and election fairness.
Q. Did the Chief Justice agree to meet the group?
No. The Chief Justice said he had replied to the meeting request and explained why he could not meet them.
Q. How many government officials did Gandhi claim were in contact with him?
He claimed that 200 government officials were in contact with him and sharing information.
Q. What was reported about Delhi Metro services?
Six Delhi Metro stations were scheduled to close until 4 PM because of security concerns.
