The Congress on Wednesday declared October 8 a “Black Day” for Indian democracy and announced protests across the country after alleging that Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other INDIA bloc MPs were subjected to excessive police force during their attempted march to Jantar Mantar.
In an urgent communication to its organisation, the All India Congress Committee directed Pradesh Congress Committees, District Congress Committees and Block Congress Committees to hold demonstrations at the state, district and block or mandal levels on Thursday. The decision significantly widens an agitation that has been centred in Delhi over the past two days.
Protests across country
The directive was issued by Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal following Wednesday’s confrontation between Opposition MPs and Delhi Police in central Delhi.
The party said all PCCs, DCCs and BCCs had been asked to ensure protests were organised on October 8. The demonstrations are expected to focus on the police action against Opposition MPs as well as the Congress’s continuing demand for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The party described the events in Delhi as an “attack on the Constitution” and said the agitation would continue until its demands were met.
Congress’s description of October 8 as a “Black Day”, its allegations about police brutality and its demand for Kumar’s removal represent the party’s political position. The Election Commission and the BJP have rejected Opposition allegations of electoral manipulation.
Congress alleges injuries
In its statement, the Congress alleged that INDIA bloc MPs led by party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi were “subjected to force” while trying to reach Jantar Mantar.
It alleged that Rahul, Priyanka, senior party leaders and other MPs were subjected to mistreatment and a lathi-charge, resulting in injuries.
Independent reports and videos from Wednesday showed police physically removing Rahul, Priyanka and other protesters after they staged a sit-in when they were prevented from proceeding towards Jantar Mantar. Priyanka alleged that police personnel had scratched her and thrown protesters to the ground.
Delhi Police had not, by Wednesday night, endorsed the Congress’s description of the operation as a “lathi-charge” causing serious injuries. The claim of serious injuries therefore remains the Congress’s account of the confrontation.
Rahul, Priyanka detained
Wednesday’s confrontation began after Opposition MPs attended a lunch hosted by Kharge at a restaurant in central Delhi and subsequently set out for Jantar Mantar in buses.
Police stopped them near the roundabout close to the Shangri-La hotel. The MPs then got off the buses and staged a sit-in, with Priyanka and other women leaders lying on the road while carrying copies of the Constitution.
Police personnel first removed Rahul and carried him to a bus. A large contingent of women police personnel subsequently removed Priyanka and other women protesters.
Rahul was taken to Barakhamba Road police station, while Priyanka and several others were taken to Chhatrasal Stadium. They were released shortly after 8 pm.
The detentions were preventive and did not by themselves amount to arrests in a criminal case arising from Wednesday’s demonstration.
Second straight day
The police action marked the second consecutive day of confrontation between Opposition MPs and security personnel in the Capital.
On Tuesday, INDIA bloc MPs had attempted to march from Parliament towards the Election Commission headquarters to demand Kumar’s resignation over the controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
The march was stopped by police barricades. Rahul subsequently climbed on a barricade and waved the Tricolour before he and Priyanka, accompanied by a smaller group of Congress leaders, entered the Akashvani Bhawan complex.
They remained there for around eight hours demanding that they be allowed to meet the Election Commissioners before police removed and detained them in the evening. Around 260 people were detained during Tuesday’s protest, according to police figures.
Delhi Police subsequently registered an FIR against Rahul, Priyanka and others over their alleged unauthorised entry into the Akashvani Bhawan premises. The case concerns the manner in which protesters entered and remained inside the premises and does not establish guilt.
‘Will continue fight’
Rahul maintained after Wednesday’s detention that the Opposition would continue protesting until Kumar stepped down.
“We are not going to stop protesting till Gyanesh Kumar resigns,” he said earlier in the day, describing the agitation as a fight to protect democratic institutions.
He also said criminal cases would not deter him, claiming that he already faced 45 FIRs and describing each case as a “medal” in his political fight.
The Congress statement issued later in the evening said the party would pursue the agitation “relentlessly” until Kumar was removed and what it described as the integrity of the electoral system was restored.
EC rejects charges
The Opposition campaign follows controversy over the conduct of the SIR and reports of disagreements within the Election Commission over aspects of decision-making.
The INDIA bloc has alleged that the voter-roll revision could result in legitimate voters being excluded and has accused the poll body of favouring the BJP. These allegations have not been established by a court or other adjudicatory authority.
The Election Commission has rejected allegations of partisan conduct. It has maintained that differences of opinion are normal in a multi-member constitutional institution and that decisions were ultimately taken collectively by the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners.
The BJP has also rejected the Opposition’s allegations and accused the Congress of attacking constitutional institutions when their decisions do not suit it.
Agitation set to widen
The October 8 call marks a shift from protests concentrated around Parliament Street, the Election Commission and Jantar Mantar to an organised Congress mobilisation across states.
The demonstrations will also come just two days before the Cockroach Janta Party’s proposed October 10 protest in Delhi over the SIR controversy. Delhi Police have already substantially increased security around Jantar Mantar and other parts of New Delhi district ahead of that mobilisation.
With Congress units now instructed to hold protests at multiple organisational levels on Thursday, the confrontation over the Election Commission and electoral-roll revision is set to extend beyond the Capital.