Priyanka Gandhi slams detention of protesters, accuses Centre of undermining democracy

Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Jairam Ramesh criticised the detention of protesters in Delhi over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. They accused the Centre of undermining democracy, questioned the Election Commission and demanded the CEC’s resignation

New Delhi: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday criticised the detention of young men and women exercising their right to protest, claiming that the security restrictions imposed for the CJP’s protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Delhi showed that the government was “terrified” that its “illegitimacy” was being exposed.

Describing the alleged attempts to “subvert democracy” as “treason” against the nation, Vadra wrote on X: “First they rough up 254 MPs and detain them completely illegally, infringing on their basic constitutional rights; they do the same to other protestors from Opposition parties.”

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“Then they lay siege to the national capital, barricading it and sealing it on all sides, stopping trains and Metros, cutting the internet and placing check posts all over. They bash up and detain young men and women exercising their constitutional right to protest,” the Congress MP from Wayanad wrote.

“If this isn’t proof that they have cheated the elections with the collusion of the Election Commission, and are terrified that the illegitimacy of their government is being exposed and accountability is being demanded, then what is?” she wrote.

“India is not a democracy anymore. It is a dictatorship being run by Mr Narendra Modi and Mr Amit Shah. All those who are colluding with them to subvert democracy are committing treason against the nation,” she said.

Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary in charge of communications, said in a post on X: “The country’s capital has been turned into a fortress. Armed security personnel are deployed everywhere. The PM-HM duo is badly rattled and unnerved by the peaceful protests of concerned youth over the systematic attempt to strip away the right to vote granted under Article 326 of the Constitution.”

“There is solid evidence that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar faithfully followed the orders issued by this disastrous duo at the time of his appointment. In December 2023, when 145 Opposition MPs were suspended, a law granting them lifetime legal protection was forcibly passed through Parliament,” Ramesh said.

“The resignation of the CEC, who has even lied to the Supreme Court, has now become a moral imperative. But this is only the first step towards reclaiming the foundations of our democracy. Strengthening this foundation of democracy is absolutely essential to fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of all people, especially the youth,” he said.

“It is also necessary to halt the SIR process, through which the voting rights of nearly 14 crore Indians have already been stripped away. Cancelling SIR is essential to restoring public trust and confidence in our electoral system,” Ramesh said.