On Tuesday, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge declared that the opposition would continue its fight to “save democracy” as members of the INDIA bloc marched from Parliament toward the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Kharge said, “This is a fight; we will keep fighting, and we are fully determined to save democracy, and we are fighting for democracy and nothing else,”. The MPs carried tricolours and banners that read “Save Democracy” and shouted slogans against the CEC, the BJP and the RSS.
Congress leader Supriya Shrinate accused the CEC of arbitrarily changing Form 6, a change that could only be made through legislation. She said the Supreme Court had not approved the alteration and that Gyanesh Kumar had “destroyed the democracy of this country.” AITC MP Saugata Roy dismissed the BJP’s defence of the CEC, noting that the ruling party would defend him because of his role in winning elections.
Ragini Nayak said the protest aimed to protect the democratic process and the Constitution, while Ranjeet Ranjan outlined three demands: the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, the cancellation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), and the conduct of elections through ballot papers. Kharge and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi staged a dharna after being stopped from entering the ECI office.
Other leaders—including SP MP Akhilesh Yadav, NCP MP Supriya Sule, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi, Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee and SP MP Dharmendra Yadav—raised slogans as they approached the poll panel. Delhi Police and other security forces were placed on alert and barricades were erected outside the ECI office. The DMK and AAP did not join the march.
