Protests Grow Across India for Election Chief’s Resignation; Over 100 Detained in Mumbai, Pune

Protests have intensified across India demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the scrapping of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. On Sunday, police detained more than 100 people taking part in demonstrations in several cities, including Mumbai and Pune. Aaditya Thackeray of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and Amit Thackeray of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena joined the protests.
A large crowd gathered in Mumbai’s Shivaji Park area on Sunday. Protesters raised slogans and demanded the release of those detained. Aaditya Thackeray and Amit Thackeray criticised the BJP government, accusing it of taking repressive measures against demonstrators.

Standing on a police van near Shiv Sena Bhavan, Amit Thackeray announced that the movement would be intensified from Monday. Aaditya Thackeray described the situation as an “undeclared emergency” and said the protests would continue until Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar resigned.

Several dozen protesters, including activist Anjali Damania, were detained from the Shivaji Park area in Mumbai. In Pune, police launched a crackdown on demonstrators demanding the scrapping of the SIR and the chief election commissioner’s resignation. According to The Times of India, 85 protesters from the Cockroach Janata Party were detained there.

In Goa, seven people were detained during a protest by the Cockroach Janata Party in support of the ‘Enough Is Enough’ movement. Those detained included councillor Jack Sukhija. They were later ordered to be released following a hearing on a habeas corpus petition filed in the High Court.

Around 100 protesters gathered at Dharna Chowk in Hyderabad. Among them were M Ranga Sai Reddy and Rajesh Korapaka, members of the Telangana unit of the Cockroach Janata Party who had recently been detained in Bhopal.
In Kolkata, the Trinamool Congress, Congress and CPI(M) called for fresh elections in West Bengal. Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy said an initiative to impeach the chief election commissioner could be considered but stressed that a broad-based public movement was needed first.

In Kerala, a resolution is expected to be introduced in the state Assembly demanding the reinstatement of people whose names were removed from electoral rolls during the SIR and the removal of the chief election commissioner. Meanwhile, several hundred protesters gathered at Freedom Park in Bengaluru to express their support for the movement.

Protesters alleged irregularities in the electoral roll revision process, claiming that some voters had been excluded. The Election Commission of India, however, has denied the allegations of irregularities. The commission said differences of opinion during internal discussions were normal and that voters whose names had been wrongly deleted would have an opportunity to register again.

Sources: The Times of India, Reuters