HUNDREDS OF CONGRESS WORKERS LED BY PPCC PRESIDENT AMARINDER SINGH RAJA WARRING STAGE PROTEST AGAINST CEC

Vikram Ditya Sharma/Ferozepur

Hundreds of Congress workers led by PPCC President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring today staged a protest in front of District Administrative Complex against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging irregularities in electoral rolls and questioning the functioning of the Election Commission.

The protesters took out a march and burnt effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and CEC Gyanesh Kumar while raising slogans against the two. The PPCC President alleged that large-scale changes in electoral rolls were being carried out and claimed that the exercise could adversely affect the democratic process.

Addressing the protesters, Warring said the alleged deletion of voters’ names from electoral rolls was a serious matter. He claimed that the Congress had been consistently raising the issue of alleged irregularities in voter lists and denial of voting rights.

Warring said that nearly 13.8 crore names had been removed from electoral rolls across the country. Referring to the election results in Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Haryana, he questioned the manner in which electoral rolls were being revised. He further alleged that the Election Commission was working under pressure of BJP and RSS and claimed that voters perceived to be opposed to the BJP were being targeted.

Warring also questioned the process of appointment of Election Commissioners and said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had been raising concerns over alleged discrepancies in electoral rolls for several years. He also referred to alleged objections raised by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi in certain matters. The Election Commission, however, has maintained that decisions of the three-member commission have been taken unanimously.

Warring also opposed the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Punjab. He claimed that around 20 lakh names had been reduced from the state’s electoral rolls and demanded that the SIR exercise be stopped. He also sought that the next Assembly elections in Punjab be held on the basis of the existing electoral rolls.

Warring called upon Congress workers to monitor electoral rolls and ensure that people verified their names so that eligible voters were not deprived of their franchise.

While targetting AAP government in Punjab, Warring said that AAP and BJP were “two sides of the same coin” and accusing the state government of weakening the political system. He said the Congress and people would have to collectively raise their voice to protect democracy and the Constitution.

Warring also raised concerns over the law-and-order situation in Punjab, alleging that crime and gangster-related activities remained a matter of concern. He criticised Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and alleged that the government was not paying adequate attention to people’s basic problems.

On healthcare, Warring said people from Punjab were often forced to approach institutions such as the PGIMER for treatment, where they faced several difficulties. He demanded that the state government strengthen healthcare facilities for the common people.

He said the Congress’s fight was not against any individual or institution but, as he put it, was for protecting the democratic system and the Constitution. He stressed the need to safeguard voters’ rights and maintain public confidence in the electoral process.

District Congress Committee president and former MLA Kulbir Singh Zira, Ashu Bangar and a large number of Congress leaders and workers were present during the protest.