2 hrs ago
Tejashwi Yadav Leads Patna March Against SIR, Demands CEC Resignation
Tejashwi Yadav and other opposition leaders marched in Patna to protest how voter lists were updated.
They said some genuine voters may have been left off the lists and asked election chief Gyanesh Kumar to resign.
Police put up barricades to stop the march from reaching Lok Bhawan.
A scuffle happened after Yadav climbed onto a barricade, and one former lawmaker fainted.
Police said Yadav was taken in a police vehicle but was not detained.
Some other opposition leaders were detained.
The Election Commission and the BJP denied the opposition’s accusations.
The protesters also wanted the authorities to answer their concerns about the voter-list revision.
Tejashwi Yadav led an INDIA bloc/Mahagathbandhan march in Patna on Thursday against the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
Opposition parties called for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign, citing alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise.
Police stopped the march near the Chief Electoral Officer’s office as protesters headed towards Lok Bhawan; some leaders were detained, while police said Yadav was not detained.
A scuffle broke out after Yadav climbed onto a police barricade, and former CPI (ML) Liberation MLA Ajit Kushwaha fainted during the demonstration.
The Opposition alleges genuine voters were excluded and the Election Commission favoured the BJP; the report says the Commission and BJP denied those allegations.
- Who
- Tejashwi Yadav and other INDIA bloc/Mahagathbandhan opposition leaders and workers.
- What
- They held an 'Aakrosh March' against the SIR electoral-roll revision and demanded Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
- Where
- Patna, Bihar; the march began near Shaheed Smarak and headed towards Lok Bhawan.
- When
- Thursday, October 8, according to the reported protest schedule.
- Why
- Opposition parties alleged irregularities in the SIR process, including the exclusion of genuine voters, and sought answers from the Election Commission.
Opposition parties
Election Commission and BJP
Conduct of the SIR exercise
Opposition parties
Opposition parties allege the revision involved irregularities and excluded names of genuine voters.
Election Commission and BJP
The Election Commission and the BJP denied the Opposition’s allegations.
Election Commission’s impartiality
Opposition parties
Tejashwi Yadav accused the Commission of acting in favour of the BJP and demanded Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
Election Commission and BJP
The Election Commission and the BJP denied the allegations; the Opposition called on the Commission to address its concerns and explain action on complaints.
Key facts
- Protest name
- Aakrosh March
- Main issue
- Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls
- Opposition demand
- Resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar
- March route
- From Shaheed Smarak towards Lok Bhawan
- Police response
- Barricades stopped the march; police said Tejashwi Yadav was not detained, while some other leaders were detained
- Reported incident
- Former CPI (ML) Liberation MLA Ajit Kushwaha fainted during the demonstration
- Security deployment
- Rapid Action Force, Central Reserve Police Force and Bihar Police personnel were deployed
Quotes
Kartikeya Sharma
Patna Senior Superintendent of Police.
“Tejashwi Yadav was not detained. He and several other leaders were taken to Bihar Lok Bhavan in a police vehicle. However, some other INDIA bloc leaders were detained from the spot.”
deccanchronicle.com
“We are not allowed to meet the governor. They (NDA leaders) are destroying democracy.”
deccanchronicle.com
Sources
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