Former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar will preside over the INDIA bloc’s mock public impeachment of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi on Saturday, while Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will initiate the proceedings.
It will be attended by nearly 21 opposition parties, which includes INDIA bloc members and several Left parties, India Today reported.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh had on Wednesday claimed that the opposition had been denied police permission to hold the “impeachment” at public venues, while accusing the government of trying to silence the voice of common people and “destroying” the electoral system. Earlier reporting noted: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and State Congress leaders on Friday (October 30) left for New Delhi to participate in the INDIA bloc “mega rally” on the “vote chori” issue, and to press for the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar over alleged voter list irregularities.
Earlier reporting noted: He asserted that the Ramlila rally would be a big one despite attempts by the government and Home Minister Amit Shah to stop people from other States from joining in. Earlier reporting noted: Several senior Congress leaders, including its Jharkhand unit chief Keshav Mahto Kamlesh, also departed for the national capital to take part in the rally.
Opposition to adopt motion against CEC; Rahul to make concluding remarks
“All parties are supporting us. We will fight,” PTI cited Kharge as saying. “I am ready to call a special session of Parliament to discuss vote chori (vote theft allegations). But Rahul baba will never agree.
Even tomorrow, there is mock Parliament and on November 1, we are having this rally and people from across the country are coming. With the Opposition planning the mock impeachment and a November 1 rally at the Ramlila Maidan, Union home minister Amit Shah said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was ready to call a special session of Parliament to discuss vote theft allegations.
The public “impeachment” programme planned by the opposition against the CEC over alleged electoral irregularities will take place at Kharge’s residence, 10, Rajaji Marg, from 3.30 pm onwards. Congress’ deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi said the opposition wants “every important issue related to SIR and vote theft to be discussed”, adding that this would highlight the “pain of the people and the attack on democracy”, news agency PTI reported. Samajwadi Party’s Harendra Malik said only one person from each party will speak at the mock impeachment. After the discussion, leader of opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi will make concluding remarks, following which the “motion” will be adopted. Speaking to the media in Bengaluru, Kharge said the Opposition would continue its protest. He will never discuss the issue in Parliament but will create a nuisance on the street,” Shah told party workers in Lucknow.
