+34
Thousands of young protesters and opposition parties staged protests in the national capital and Mumbai on Sunday, demanding the resignation of Election Commission Chief Gyanesh Kumar, as police detained demonstrators for a third consecutive day.
NEW DELHI - Thousands of young protesters and opposition parties staged protests in the national capital and Mumbai on Sunday, demanding the resignation of Election Commission Chief Gyanesh Kumar, as police detained demonstrators for a third consecutive day.
Opposition leaders Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray led protests in Mumbai calling for the scrapping of revisions to the electoral roll and Kumar’s resignation. In Delhi, protesters started gathering in the early evening and police started detaining some of them, according to a Reuters witness. Police did not comment on the number or identities of those detained across the three days.
Delhi Police officers have prevented protesters from assembling, detaining dozens and transporting them away by bus over the last two days. Many demonstrators were later released, though police registered cases against some for allegedly violating orders banning mass gatherings in the capital. The protesters say a nationwide voter-roll revision exercise launched last year has disenfranchised millions of eligible voters by removing them from electoral rolls. They allege the changes benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.
The Election Commission and the BJP deny the allegations.
“I just want to tell the ruling party this much... We are angry about how you are wielding that power. It’s the people of this country who should decide who sits in power and who sits in opposition, not the Election Commission,” Raj Thackeray said. The protests are likely to intensify over the next few days as an alliance of India’s opposition parties plans to launch protests to “save democracy” with a march to the Election Commission office on Monday.
The Gen Z Cockroach Janta Party has announced plans for a major rally in Delhi on Oct. 10. The demonstrations represent the latest in a series of youth-led challenges to Modi’s government — unprecedented in his 12 years in power. In July, student protests forced the ouster of the federal education minister following a leak of question papers for a national medical college entrance examination, marking the worst political crisis of Modi’s third term in office.
Rim Jhim Sharma, a resident of Soniya Vihar in Delhi who came to the protest site, told Reuters before being detained that many from her locality have been stripped of their voting rights.
“We are here for protest and this is our right. We will take our India back from Modi,” she said. Kumar has not responded to demands for his resignation or commented on the protests. The Election Commission says the exercise is designed to remove duplicate, deceased, or ineligible entries and maintain electoral integrity.
On Friday, the commission directed its officials to register eligible voters inadvertently omitted from electoral rolls. Reporting by Saurabh Sharma; Writing by Sarita Chaganti Singh in New Delhi; Editing by Alex Richardson
Please follow us on Google to support usCanada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Indian Border Guards Kill Two Pakistani Civilians Near Punjab BorderIndian border guards shot and killed two unarmed Pakistani civilians and wounded a third near the India-Pakistan border in Punjab. The incident has heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours amid conflicting accounts over the circumstances of the crossing and continuing violence in disputed Kashmir.
Read more »
Indian Police Detain Protesters Opposing Voter Roll Changes in New DelhiPolice detained several demonstrators during youth-led protests in New Delhi over changes to voter rolls. Protesters backed by the Cockroach Janta Party and opposition groups accused the changes of benefiting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's governing party and demanded the resignation of India's election chief. Police also blocked demonstrations, shut nearby metro stations and charged some protesters with violating restrictions on mass gatherings.
Read more »
Paris Police Chief Urges Peaceful Action as Student Protests Spread Across FranceParis police chief Patrice Faure says the student protest movement is out of control and urges peaceful action, as unions call for a national day of demonstrations on Tuesday.
Read more »
Spain Faces Renewed Protests Over Affordable Housing After Tenant Relief Measures FailTens of thousands of demonstrators marched in Madrid and other Spanish cities to demand affordable housing and tenant protections after parliament rejected proposed measures. The demonstrations highlighted rising rents, evictions and political pressure on Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's minority government. Far-right groups attempted to reach a Madrid protest camp, leading to arrests and clashes with police.
Read more »