New Delhi, Oct 7 (IANS): Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said that INDIA bloc leaders were heading to the “designated protest site” at Jantar Mantar to continue their agitation against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, while vowing not to bow down irrespective of cases lodged against them.
The development came after the Congress President hosted a lunch meeting for the INDIA bloc leaders at a restaurant in Janpath.
Speaking to reporters, Kharge said: “Today, we will hold a sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar. Until our demands are met, we will continue to hold such protests.”
“The mistakes that have been done by the Election Commission, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s support, are an attempt to finish democracy in the country. They don’t even pay heed to the Constitution. It is our responsibility to take the people’s message across the country. That is why we, the leaders of all (INDIA bloc) parties, want to unitedly tell the citizens that we will keep fighting for the protection of our rights, which are being snatched away, irrespective of the number of cases filed against us,” he said.
Kharge made the remarks with reference to Delhi Police receiving a complaint against Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and other INDIA bloc MPs accompanying them, for forcibly entering the Akashvani Bhawan during their protest on Tuesday, officials said on Wednesday.
An FIR has been registered in the matter, officials said.
“We won’t be scared by anyone and will keep fighting,” Kharge asserted.
Rahul Gandhi added: “As I said yesterday, around 300 MPs from the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha wanted to meet the CEC yesterday. He did not meet us. The Delhi Police stopped us, and yesterday they said that we cannot protest there.”
“So, our plan today is to go to the designated protest site, Jantar Mantar, and sit there again and tell the country that, for us, Gyanesh Kumar is not the legitimate Election Commissioner of the country,” he added.
Rahul Gandhi reiterated his remarks from Tuesday, saying: “PM Modi, along with Home Minister Amit Shah, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Gyanesh Kumar have together finished the country’s democracy…as I said yesterday, this is treason and action will be taken against those involved in this. Gyanesh Kumar will have to resign.”
Regarding the FIR, he remarked: “I have 45 FIRs against me. My goal is to have 100. I want 100 FIRs to be filed against me. Every FIR is a medal for me.”
