New Delhi [India], October 12 (ANI): Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal on Monday said the INDIA bloc’s proposed march to the Supreme Court is aimed at protecting the country’s “democratic values” and principles, as opposition leaders called on citizens to join the protest on October 12.
While speaking to ANI about the march scheduled for October 12 in the national capital, Venugopal said the agitation has evolved into a broader movement to safeguard democracy and urged people to participate.
“This is not only an agitation, but it has become a movement. This movement is to protect the democratic values and principles of this country. The leader of the opposition, Rahul Gandhi, has given a general call to everybody to protect the democracy of our country. People of India will come and join tomorrow,” he said.
Venugopal also said the opposition respected the Chief Justice of India’s decision not to meet its delegation but remained committed to marching to the Supreme Court.
“The CJI has declined to meet us, provided that open avenue for giving a petition to the Supreme Court by hand or a general legal way. We respect that decision, but we are very much for marching to the Supreme Court tomorrow…” he said.
Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice Surya Kant has rejected the INDIA bloc leaders’ request for a meeting to submit a representation over alleged electoral irregularities, stating that they should approach the court by filing a petition as the matter is already sub judice.
A reasoned response explaining the grounds for the rejection has been sent to the opposition leaders via email, people aware of the development said.
The development comes a day after police detained protesters during a demonstration in the national capital demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Opposition leaders criticised the police action and called for citizens to join the march.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor accused the ECI of ignoring the laws and said that the opposition leaders will march to demand CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and suspension of the SIR exercise.
“The Constitution codifies the rights of citizens of India: the right to vote, to determine your own political choices and to safeguard your own destiny. Unfortunately, maligned forces are trying to steal that right to vote from you. 130 million Indians have been struck from the rolls by an Election Commission that is completely out of control and seems to be ignoring every rule and law in the book. The Congress party is marching to the Supreme Court tomorrow to demand justice, to demand the suspension of the so-called Special Intensive Revision, to cancel the rules under which drastic changes have been made, to restore the votes of those who have been deprived of their constitutional rights and to demand the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner who has done so much wrong,” Tharoor said in a video posted on X.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has appealed to young people, opposition parties and civil society groups to unite for the march, urging them to shed fear with the slogan “Daro mat”.
Criticising the police action against protesters on Saturday, Gandhi said the young people had come out peacefully. “They came with love in their hearts, not hatred or anger. They were beaten, both by cops and BJP goons. This is not the India we want,” he said.
Meanwhile, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) activist Abhijeet Dipke, who was released from preventive arrest, said he had not signed any bond promising not to protest and vowed to return to the streets. He challenged the authorities to jail him “not just once, but a hundred times.”
Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar dismissed the protests, saying the opposition “occasionally makes its presence felt, much like a cockroach crawling across one’s back.”
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also accused the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Left parties and the CJP of creating chaos during protests in the capital. She also praised Delhi Police for handling the situation and ensuring public safety. (ANI)
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