Delhi witnessed a series of protests from October 2 to 6, as students, youth, activists, teachers, lawyers, journalists, women protesters and Opposition MPs took to the streets against CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s illegal actions and electoral fraud, the unconstitutional Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and the assault on democratic rights. The growing resistance across these days was met with severe police repression, with protesters lathicharged, beaten, manhandled and detained.
On October 6, Opposition MPs, as part of the INDIA bloc’s call, marched from Parliament to the Election Commission of India (ECI). CPI(ML) MPs Raja Ram Singh and Sudama Prasad, along with other INDIA Alliance MPs, unitedly marched demanding the removal of Vote Chor Gyanesh Kumar and an end to the unconstitutional SIR.
The march was stopped near the ECI office by a heavy deployment of police and paramilitary forces, and several MPs were detained. CPI(ML) MPs, along with other Opposition MPs, also condemned the police violence against students, youth and journalists during the student-youth protests in Delhi, in which several protesters were injured and manhandled.
Days Of Youth Protest Amid Police Repression
Responding to the call for resistance on Gandhi Jayanti against the trampling of democracy, Delhi witnessed a series of student-youth mobilisations from October 2 to 5. During these protests, the Modi-Shah regime’s colonial police brutality was unleashed against students, activists, teachers, lawyers, journalists and women protesters demanding accountability and justice. Protesters were lathicharged, beaten and manhandled simply for raising their voices against the illegal actions of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and demanding an end to the unconstitutional SIR.
Comrade Neha, President of AISA, along with several other AISA and CPI(ML) leaders, was detained by the police during all three days of protests. On October 4, during the Citizens’ protest march from India Gate to Jantar Mantar, the police specifically targeted Neha and whisked her away in an unmarked car. She was later released from Narela Industrial Police Station.
The protests also witnessed crimes against women committed by the police. Several journalists, including survivor Rosy, who had filed a complaint against ACP Vivek Bhagat for molestation, faced police repression while demanding justice. Instead of filing the FIR, the police detained Rosy and several journalists and activists who were protesting in solidarity with her and demanding that the FIR be registered. Several journalists were also manhandled in detention.
On the night of October 5, the police arrested several journalists and activists who were protesting and demanding registration of the FIR on trumped-up charges. They were given bail by the court later that night. On October 5, AIPWA, along with various other women’s organisations, held a protest at the Delhi Police Headquarters demanding the filing of an FIR against ACP Vivek Bhagat.
INDIA Bloc’s Joint Action Plan
The INDIA bloc leaders, at their meeting in Delhi on September 30, agreed upon a joint action plan. It includes ‘Save Democracy’ marches across all districts from October 2 to 8, a march by all Opposition MPs to the ECI on October 6, and Opposition leaders seeking an appointment with the President of India in the second week of October regarding the illegal actions of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
The plan also includes five mass rallies to inform the country about how the government is snatching away people’s right to vote and other constitutional rights, a massive public rally in Delhi on November 1, and an appeal for an early resolution of all cases related to the SIR and electoral matters pending before the Supreme Court.
The demand remains clear: Vote Chor Gyanesh Kumar Must Go, the unconstitutional SIR must end, and people’s democratic right to vote must be protected.
