After meeting President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Leader of Opposition Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said that he was “shocked and stunned” when she accepted the Opposition’s allegations of ‘vote chore’ rather than denying it. The Opposition MPs met the President amid the ongoing protest of alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar following which Gandhi said that the President accepted the statement and sought proof of ‘vote chori’.
“They are afraid. “The mistakes committed by Gyanesh Kumar have created a situation of fear in the country and put democracy in danger. That is why we are going to meet the President and apprise her of the things he has done”. This was part of the Congress-led Opposition’s campaign demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and raising concerns over the Election Commission’s handling of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The Opposition had sought the President’s intervention over its concerns regarding the functioning of the poll body and alleged irregularities in the electoral roll revision process.
Before meeting President Murmu, Gandhi recalled India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s iconic 1947 address at the Parliament’s Central Hall where the INDIA bloc MPs had gathered before march to Rashtrapati Bhavan. Earlier reporting noted: Rahul Gandhi-led INDIA bloc MPs meet President Murmu, present 4-point memo seeking CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation A delegation of INDIA bloc leaders met President Droupadi Murmu on Friday to submit a memorandum over alleged ‘vote chori’ (vote theft). Track live updates Earlier reporting noted: The 10-member delegation included Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary MA Baby and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav.
Gandhi said that he told the President that proof of ‘election chori’ is known to country as state after state has been stolen. The President “in no way denied” what we said, the Congress leader, who is leading the Opposition MPs’ protest against chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over SIR row, said. Earlier reporting noted: Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien said the four-point memorandum submitted to President Droupadi Murmu called for the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, an end to the SIR of electoral rolls, the reintroduction of ballot papers for elections, and a review of elections held over the past two years.
A person who is afraid will die tomorrow, if not today.”Kharge said.
A 10-member Opposition delegation addressed the press on the outcome of their representation to the President. The 10-member delegation included Rahul Gandhi, accompanied by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.
“Our memorandum to the President clearly said that PM Modi, home minister Amit Shah and CEC Gyanesh Kumar have conspired to destroy Indian democracy” Gandhi was quoted as saying.
I was shocked and stunned that the President of India accepted what we said,” Gandhi said, news agency ANI reported. “The main thing is that I expected the President of India to deny that ‘vote chori’ was taking place. I expected her to say that India has a free and fair electoral system.
