Congress Demands CEC Gyanesh Kumar's Resignation Over "Political Bias"
Congress Demands CEC Gyanesh Kumar's Resignation Over "Political Bias"
Congress leaders in Kalaburagi accuse CEC Gyanesh Kumar of partisan conduct and demand his resignation, alleging ECI is undermining democracy. #ECIBias #DemocracyUnderThreat
The political atmosphere in Kalaburagi intensified on Monday as the district unit of the Congress staged a significant protest, demanding the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. Alleging a clear political bias within the Election Commission of India (ECI), party workers gathered outside the Deputy Commissioner's office, raising slogans and even burning an effigy of Mr. Kumar.
Led by District Congress Committee president Kiran Deshmukh and MLC Thippannappa Kamaknoor, the protest highlighted serious concerns about the ECI's impartiality. Both leaders emphasized that the ECI, as a foundational constitutional institution, is expected to operate independently and without prejudice. However, they accused Mr.
Kumar of acting in a partisan manner, akin to a political party worker, thereby undermining the esteemed stature of the CEC's office. MLC Kamaknoor further asserted that the ECI's primary allegiance must be to the Constitution of India, not to the interests or directives of the Union government.
He voiced strong allegations that decisions made under Mr.
Kumar's leadership are negatively impacting the democratic process and, implicitly, aiding the electoral prospects of the BJP. Protestors went a step further, claiming that the BJP has effectively "hijacked" the election process, winning elections through alleged misuse of the ECI and the systematic deletion of voters' names from electoral rolls.
A particularly grave accusation leveled was against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, which, according to the Congress, is being used to remove names of voters belonging to Muslim, Christian, OBC, and SC/ST communities.
Those who do not vote for the BJP are being removed through the SIR process,
they stated emphatically. Prominent Congress figures present at the demonstration included KUDA chairman Mazhar Alam Khan, MLC Jagdev Guttedar, Kalaburagi District-Level Guarantee Schemes Implementation Authority chairperson Chandrika Parameshwar, and District Congress Women's Unit president Renuka Singhe, alongside numerous party workers.
This unified show of dissent underscores the growing concerns within opposition parties regarding the perceived politicization of the country's top election body. The demands for Mr. Kumar's resignation are resonating across various parts of the country, with similar calls emerging from other states like Telangana and planned protests in Mumbai.
