Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], October 11 (ANI): Jharkhand Minister Shilpi Neha Tirkey and Congress MLA Rajesh Kachhap on Sunday said Congress leaders and party workers from the state were heading to Delhi to participate in a protest against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Speaking to ANI in Ranchi, Tirkey questioned why a political party was defending the CEC amid allegations of irregularities in the electoral roll revision process. She said the Election Commission should have addressed the concerns and provided clarifications.
"Why is a political party coming forward and protecting a bureaucrat, Gyanesh Kumar, the CEC? There have been so many shortcomings and so many irregularities that have come forward. The Election Commission should have come forward and explained things, made things clear," Tirkey said.
She added that the developments surrounding the SIR exercise were being watched internationally, arguing that the issue had implications for India's democratic institutions and electoral processes.
"It is a funny state of affairs for this nation, and that is the reason all the Congress leaders and Congress party workers are heading towards Delhi to protest against the Election Commissioner and his ways of conducting the SIR," she said.
Meanwhile, Congress MLA Rajesh Kachhap said party workers had been organising protests and awareness programmes in their respective areas to raise concerns over what they described as threats to democracy and the Constitution.
Kachhap said some leaders had initially remained in Jharkhand to organise programmes and mobilise people before heading to the national capital.
"All of us who believe in democracy, the Constitution, and India's independence are protesting in our own areas to save the Constitution and democracy. We wanted to go to Delhi too, but we had the responsibility to organise programs in our state and raise awareness among the people," he said.
He also referred to possible difficulties in travelling to Delhi, saying that party workers were determined to participate in the protest.
"We are heading to Delhi because if the government stops the trains, the kids will end up on coal trains," Kachhap said.
The Congress MLA further said that party workers considered it their responsibility to join the wider protest against the Centre and what he alleged was the weakening of constitutional institutions.
"Everyone who wants to save democracy is showing their support and fighting for it. As state Congress party workers, it's our responsibility to join that fight. We need to do our part to save democracy," he said. (ANI)
Jharkhand Congress leaders head to Delhi to protest against CEC over alleged SIR irregularities
