New Delhi: Setting the stage for a major political confrontation in the national capital, the united INDIA bloc on Monday launched its 'Chalo Dilli' march from the Barakhamba Road intersection toward the Supreme Court to press their ongoing agitation against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.

The demonstration has drawn backing from key regional leaders, including former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav.
 

Demanding immediate institutional interventions, former West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee declared, “We are demanding justice, nothing else. This is for people, for humankind, for justice...We want justice and nothing else.”

Opposition hits out at government and police crackdown

Prior to leading the march, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi addressed a press conference at the AICC headquarters, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of shielding the poll chief.

“We want this, and the government is making a big mistake because we want to show the country that the government, PM Narendra Modi, is protecting Gyanesh Kumar,” Gandhi said, questioning the heavy security presence across the city.

“'Chalo Dilli', March for Democracy against vote theft and the Election Commission under Gyanesh Kumar has been a public movement in Delhi for the past four to five days. Resistance has been there for much longer, for 10 to 12 or 13 years, but now it is crystallising. The question is, Why is Delhi jailed?”

Parliamentarians across the alliance expressed strong outrage over the administrative response.

Renuka Chowdhury (Congress MP) said, “This is a show of giving them assurance that we are going to fight for them, that we represent them and their voice should be heard here. This brute force here and declaring us unlawful is a clear show of violation of anything that is Constitutional and disrespect to the Supreme Court which this Govt is showing, Despite Supreme Court's rulings, they have violated and they have named us. You ask about SIR and they filed an FIR. One Gyanesh is more than 'Bharat desh'?”

Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda said, “The current situation in the country is no secret to anyone. The BJP and the Election Commission are colluding to influence election results. Evidence of this has now come to light, which is why this movement is underway; under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, we will once again raise our voices through this movement to demand justice and ensure that the people of this country have an impartial Election Commission and a fair electoral process. If the Chief Election Commissioner himself is involved in facilitating BJP candidacies, what will be left of the country? What kind of democracy will remain? Furthermore, the manner in which the Delhi Police brutally suppresses the voices of protesters whenever they are raised is unacceptable. Today, we are marching to the Supreme Court in protest against this.”

Congress MP Gaddam Vamsi Krishna said, “We are trying to reach all constitutional bodies, they all are not favouring and upholding the constitution.”

SP MP Mohibbullah Nadvi noted, “This is the people's battle and will continue.”

Shiv Sena-UBT MP Sanjay Raut affirmed, “We are with what Rahul Gandhi does.”

 

Capital turned into fortress

To stall the marchers, central Delhi was put under strict security measures. Rapid Action Force (RAF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Delhi Police units heavily barricaded Barakhamba Road and Mandi House. Access to key Delhi Metro stations was cut off until 4 pm as authorities attempted to restrict movement toward the apex court complex.

ANI