Marking ‘Black Day’ and pledging to protect democracy and the Constitution, the Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee organised a protest march on Saturday from Congress Bhawan to Albert Ekka Chowk here, raising questions regarding the policies of the Modi-led Central government and the impartiality of the electoral process.
Allegations of vote theft are a grave concern for democracy; these allegations must be impartially investigated, and the truth must be revealed to the public,” he said. The protest led by state unit chief Keshav Mahto Kamlesh, saw the Congress party demand the reinstatement of names allegedly removed from the voter list during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. Reiterating its resolve, the party stated that no eligible voter would be deprived of their right to vote. Speaking on the occasion, Kamlesh questioned the roles of the Central government and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. He alleged that the independence of the country’s democratic institutions was being undermined and that current circumstances resembled an undeclared Emergency. “The concerns regarding the fairness of the electoral process cannot be ignored. Questioning the role of the CEC, he demanded his resignation and emphasised the need to ensure accountability in the entire matter. “In a democracy, the people’s vote is the greatest strength. If voters lose confidence that their votes are secure and that elections are being conducted fairly, public faith in the democratic system will be weakened. The Congress party will continue its struggle to protect the Constitution, fair elections, and the people’s right to vote,” he added.
