New Delhi [India], October 2 (ANI): Members of the Students' Federation of India (SFI) and Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) on Friday staged a protest near Jantar Mantar against the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, with CPI(M) leaders demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The protest was held despite Delhi Police denying permission for the proposed demonstration and imposing prohibitory restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023. Security has been tightened in central Delhi amid the gathering.
CPI(M) General Secretary MA Baby, who joined the protest, alleged that Kumar had violated rules governing the functioning of the Election Commission and demanded his removal.
"Gyanesh Kumar should be arrested for the criminal activity of cutting people's votes," Baby said.
Speaking to reporters earlier, Baby said thousands of youth and student leaders from SFI and DYFI had come to Delhi from different parts of the country.
"In Jantar Mantar and a few other places in Delhi, thousands of youth and student leaders of the Students Federation of India and Democratic Youth Federation have come from different parts of the country. I think they should be the biggest mobilization in Delhi today," he said.
He alleged that Kumar had been "nakedly violating all existing rules" governing the Election Commission and demanded his removal.
"He should be removed as he's not resigning; he has to be removed. Till he is removed, the student youth movement will continue," Baby said.
Referring to the INDIA bloc's planned programmes, Baby said, "The India Bloc has also taken a decision. November 1st, we are going to have a rally in Delhi. On 6th of October, MPs belonging to the INDIA bloc and others would be protesting."
CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat also demanded Kumar's removal and called for an immediate halt to the SIR exercise.
"The main question is to make the CEC resign and remove him. He won't resign; he needs to be removed. The SIR must be stopped immediately, and the Election Commission must be fixed by changing the 2023 law," Karat said.
Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party leaders were also protesting in central Delhi, raising the issue of SIR. AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj was detained by Delhi Police soon after reaching Jantar Mantar and joining the protest.
Bharadwaj alleged that police personnel had mishandled women protesters and said he had also been scratched by police personnel during his detention.
Minutes before his detention, Bharadwaj said police personnel, including the SHO, had been stationed outside his residence and that he had reached Jantar Mantar despite the restrictions.
"I came along. The SHO sat outside my home the whole night. Right now, police personnel are outside my home, even after I told them that I am not at my residence," he said.
He also urged young people to reach the protest site, saying he had travelled without a vehicle.
"But I want to tell my young people and Gen Z that if I can reach here without any vehicle, using the metro, then you can also be here," Bharadwaj said.
In a post on X, he said he and AAP MLA Sanjeev Jha had been detained despite the protest being peaceful and called on people to continue the demonstration peacefully.
Bharadwaj also said the protest was about democracy and freedom and urged people to pursue the issue through constitutional and peaceful means.
"This is a fight where if we don't fight, democracy and freedom in this country are all going to end. Therefore, you have to fight this battle. You have to fight this battle in a technical, constitutional, and peaceful manner; there is no other option," he said.
Delhi Police has imposed Section 163 of the BNSS in New Delhi, under which assemblies of five or more people, processions, demonstrations, picketing, dharnas, slogans and speeches are prohibited without prior written permission. Police have also barred the carrying of firearms, banners, placards, lathis, swords, sticks and similar articles.
DCP New Delhi Sachin Sharma said preventive arrangements had been made and appealed to people to cooperate with the police.
"Section 163 of the BNSS is in force in New Delhi, and protests, demonstrations, marches and similar activities are not permitted. Preventive arrangements have been made, and everyone is requested to follow the law and cooperate with the police," Sharma said.
Police and Rapid Action Force personnel, along with a riot control vehicle, have been deployed at Jantar Mantar, while barricades have been placed on roads leading to the area. Additional security personnel have also been sought in view of the expected turnout.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has closed entry and exit at 11 stations until further notice, including Janpath, Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat, Rajiv Chowk, Seva Teerth, Mandi House, Lok Kalyan Marg, INA, Chawri Bazar, Ramakrishna Ashram Marg and New Delhi. Interchange facilities remain available at select stations.
The agitation comes amid continuing opposition-led and civil society protests over the functioning of the Election Commission and the SIR exercise. The proposed Jantar Mantar demonstration has also been backed by other opposition leaders and civil society groups. (ANI)
SFI, DYFI protest against EC at Jantar Mantar; CPI(M)'s MA Baby demands CEC's arrest, Brinda Karat seeks end to SIR
