New Delhi: Student groups, politicians, lawyers, along with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke, held a joint briefing at the Press Club of India on Thursday, October 15, to address the ongoing protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The press conference was addressed by All India Students’ Association national president Neha Bora, Students’ Federation of India leader Aishe Ghosh, All India Students’ Federation national president Viraaj Devang and actor Prakash Raj among others.
Before All India Students’ Association (AISA) leader Neha Bora could begin the conference, hecklers interrupted by raising slogans. Dipke, actor-politician Prakash Raj, and Bora later had to instruct the organisers to remove the hecklers from the area.
Following the interruption, Dipke addressed the gathering and accused the Centre of taking extreme measures “just to protect one Gyanesh Kumar.”
“What is Gyanesh Kumar giving to Modi that he is ready to bring Delhi to a halt for him? Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are waging a war on their own countrymen, why,” he asked.
“Why is Gyanesh Kumar so important for Narendra Modi? Why shouldn’t we believe Gyanesh Kumar is making Narendra Modi win elections,” he questioned.
‘Aap kabhi tiranga ke saath the hi nahi’
He said, “You’ve turned Delhi into the India-Pakistan border. How much importance does Gyanesh Kumar hold to Narendra Modi?”
“Where 2 per cent is deciding the election, you are deleting 13 crore votes. What is this if not a setting,” he asked.
Criticising the “one nation one election” slogan, the CJP founder said the ruling party’s real intention was to create “one nation one party.”
“Narendra Modi is a big dictator,” he said. “But he does not have the strength. “Modi cannot be bigger than (Mahatma) Gandhi and (Jawaharlal) Nehru.”
Sending a message to the Prime Minister, Dipke said, “Itne darpok mat bano, agar aapko itne logon ko detain karna hai toh declare kardo emergency (Don’t be so cowardly, if you want to detain this many people, just declare an emergency).”
He alleged that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has always opposed the Tiranga because it lacks freedom fighters who fought for India’s independence. “Aap kabhi tirange ke saath the hi nahi (You have never stood by the national flag).”
Journalists targetes, claims Neha Bora
Bora alleged that the police had targeted journalists covering the protests, detaining them despite their press credentials and snatching their cameras.
“Police, instead of maintaining law and order, crack down on the public. This is a classic example of what we have seen,” she said.
“The whole movement against Gyanesh Kumar is proof that this struggle for the right to vote is not of any individual, any political party, banner or flag – it is a movement alive in the poor homes of India, in different corners, on roads,” she said.
“You send the voice supporting the right to vote to jail. When you drag common people, you are dragging those 13 crore people,” she said.
This is a fight for regime change, says Prashant Bhushan
Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan, speaking at the event, slammed Delhi Police for using force while detaining protesters and denounced the authorities for denotifying Jantar Mantar as a protest site.
Pointing to videos of police lathi-charging demonstrators, he asserted that “Gunda Raj” has taken over.
Individuals affected by the SIR also spoke at the event, including Telangana Platform and Gig Workers Union president Sheikh Salauddin, who claimed his name was deleted from the voter roll.
‘Unfurling the flag is not a crime’
Prakash Raj said they have evidence that CEC Gyanesh Kumar is involved in suspicious activities and that its instigator is Narendra Modi. He claimed that Form 7 is being used to remove names of Muslim voters and called it a “silent erasure.”
Dipke ended the briefing by calling on opposition parties, civil groups, farmers, student unions, traders, and all “patriots” to gather at Connaught Place to hoist the national flag on Friday, October 16.
“I want to tell this authoritarian government that unfurling the national flag is not a crime. Everyone must come together; if the vote is saved, the rights of the country will be saved.”
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