INDIA bloc draws battle lines over SIR, targets Modi, Shah and ECI

INDIA bloc finalises joint action plan against SIR, including 'save democracy' marches, rallies and 6 October march to ECI.

Rahul Gandhi says Opposition leaders are "collective defenders" of Constitution.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge says all parties agree that elections should return to ballot papers, Mamata Banerjee demands Gyanesh Kumar's resignation.

The INDIA bloc on Wednesday, 30 September announced a coordinated political campaign against the Election Commission of India's (ECI) special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, with rallies, 'save democracy' marches and a march to the ECI among a series of planned actions.

The Opposition alliance also renewed its demand for a return to ballot papers, while Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah and chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of attacking India's democratic system.

The decisions were taken at a three-and-a-half-hour meeting attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, Mamata-AITC chief Mamata Banerjee, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule, Shiv Sena (UBT), CPI(M), CPI, J&K Peoples Democratic Party, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, CPI-ML, IUML and several other opposition parties. Independent Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal also attended.

. Briefing reporters after the meeting, Kharge said 'save democracy' marches involving young people and NGOs would be held from 2 to 8 October, along with demonstrations outside district magistrates' offices.

On 6 October, Opposition MPs will march to the ECI, he said. Leaders of Opposition will also seek an appointment with the President in the second week of October to submit a representation against what Kharge called the 'vote chori government'.

The bloc has also decided to hold five major rallies, with their dates and venues to be announced later. A mega rally will be held in Delhi on 1 November.

. The Opposition parties also appealed to the Supreme Court to expedite cases concerning SIR and alleged electoral malpractice.

Kharge said the parties were unanimous in demanding that elections be conducted through ballot papers instead of electronic voting machines. "Everyone is 100 per cent agreed that all elections should be on ballot," he said, adding that laws framed by the present government on the issue should be annulled.

Rahul Gandhi said the meeting had focused primarily on 'vote chori '. "All parties are of the opinion that the democratic system of India has been attacked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah and CEC Gyanesh Kumar," he said.

"We are not going to take it lying down. It is a personal commitment of all INDIA bloc leaders, we are going to ensure that people who have destroyed Indian democracy are punished," Gandhi said.

. He said the Opposition had been successful in conveying its allegation that elections were being "stolen" and that there was growing resistance, particularly among young people. "I also mentioned to all Opposition leaders that they are the collective defenders of the Indian Constitution," Gandhi said. "It is an honour for us to work together and we are confident that, over the next few months, we will make serious changes in the country."

Kharge alleged that Modi and Shah were the "real puppeteers" behind the ECI, while the commissioners were merely "pawns". He accused the government of using the electoral system to win polls and "harassing" those fighting for democracy.

. Banerjee launched a sharper attack on the ECI, alleging that a "big scam" had taken place and that the BJP had colluded with the poll panel to form governments in different states. She alleged that Gyanesh Kumar had "stolen" votes, "burned" EVMs and tampered with counting, and demanded his immediate resignation.

"If Gyanesh Kumar does not resign, we people will launch a massive movement from ' mitti to aasmaan (ground to the sky)'. We will fight, we will win. We will protect democracy and the Constitution," Banerjee said.

The meeting came days after the Indian Express reported that election commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had objected on record at least 14 times over the past 10 months to decisions and orders relating to SIR, saying they had been issued without their knowledge or recommendation.

The ECI, facing scrutiny over the reported objections, has maintained that differing views and observations are a normal part of institutional deliberations and that all its orders have full legal sanction and follow established statutory procedures.

With PTI inputs

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