PANAJI, Sep 23: Congress general secretary K C Venugopal on Wednesday demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and said the Indian Express report about objections raised by Kumar’s colleagues proved that Rahul Gandhi was speaking the truth.
The Election Commission’s handling of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls was undermining the electoral process, he said.
Addressing Congress workers during the party’s ‘Goy Rakhonn Yatra’ in Cumbharjua assembly constituency in Goa, Venugopal referred to the The Indian Express report about objections raised by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi over various decisions concerning electoral rolls, including voter registration, deletion of names and access to electoral data.
“We have to protect our democracy. Today, we are shocked. The Indian Express has come out with the big story which is related to Goa elections too. Two Election Commissioners are coming forward, they wrote letters. Several times they reminded the chief election commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, don’t destroy democracy. Don’t destroy voters’ list. Don’t disturb the new voters,” the Congress leader said.
A lot of voters were deleted during the SIR in Goa, he claimed.
When 38 Goa residents complained to the state election commission about the deletion of their names, it recommended reinstating their names, he said, alleging that the Election Commission, however, did not allow it. “Gyanesh Kumar did not allow it. This is an example of what the BJP is doing through the voters’ list,” Venugopal said, alleging that this was happening all over the country.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had been stating that the CEC was acting like Prime Minister’s Narendra Modi’s agent, he said, adding that this allegation was substantiated by the Election Commissioners appointed by the BJP government.
Prime Minister Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and CEC Kumar conspired to “hijack the Indian election system”, the Congress leader alleged.
Returning officers or state election commissions do not have access to voters’ lists which are controlled by the Election Commission’s IT department in Delhi, he said, claiming that the lists can be manipulated at the Central level.
“Gyanesh Kumar should resign immediately to save the democracy of this country,” he said.
Talking about the next year’s Goa elections, Venugopal said Goa’s people were educated and believe in democracy.
“This is the most educated state. They will never allow hypocrisy, dictatorship…,” he said, expressing confidence that Congress will reclaim power in the BJP-ruled state. (Agencies)
