Guwahati (Assam) [India], October 4 (ANI): The Assam Jatiya Parishad strongly condemns the detention of its Joint Secretary Kunki Chowdhury, senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, Yogendra Yadav and other protesters who were on their way to hold a peaceful demonstration at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar over concerns surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the possibility of eligible voters being excluded from the rolls, and the demand for greater transparency and accountability in the electoral process.
In a joint statement, Assam Jatiya Parishad President Lurinjyoti Gogoi and General Secretary Jagadish Bhuyan said, “Every eligible citizen must be able to exercise their right to vote without fear or uncertainty. In a large-scale revision such as SIR, the authorities must ensure transparent procedures, adequate public information and an effective mechanism for resolving grievances.
“No eligible voter should be left without a meaningful opportunity to establish their eligibility or challenge an omission from the electoral roll. Public confidence in the electoral process can only be strengthened through transparency and accountability,” they added.
Gogoi and Bhuyan urged the Delhi Police and the concerned authorities to immediately release Kunki Chowdhury, Prashant Bhushan, Yogendra Yadav and all other peaceful protesters detained in connection with the demonstration.
They called upon the authorities to ensure that the protesters’ constitutional rights are respected and that peaceful assembly and expression are not unnecessarily restricted.
They further said, “Democracy cannot function by silencing those who raise difficult questions. Young people and citizens who express concern over electoral reforms must be heard, not intimidated or suppressed. The Central Government and the administration should respond to legitimate concerns through dialogue and democratic institutions rather than coercive measures.”
“We caution against any attempt to curb peaceful dissent and reaffirm the Assam Jatiya Parishad’s commitment to defending democratic rights, electoral integrity and the voice of the people,” they added. (ANI)
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