Video: Tension at ‘Chalo Lok Bhavan’ protest; Congress ministers arrested in Hyderabad

Congress leaders and activists staged a "Chalo Lok Bhavan" protest in Hyderabad against alleged irregularities in the voter list revision process and demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Several Congress leaders, including TPCC chief Mahesh Kumar Goud and State Ministers, were arrested by police during the protest.

Hyderabad: Tension prevailed during the ‘Chalo Lok Bhavan’ protest organised by the Congress party on Thursday against alleged irregularities in the voter list revision process and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.

Congress leaders and activists took out a massive rally from the Indira Gandhi statue on Necklace Road to Lok Bhavan. Subsequently, police arrested TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud, along with State Ministers Ponnam Prabhakar, Sridhar Babu, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Vakiti Srihari, Adluri Laxman Kumar and others as they staged a protest at Lok Bhavan.

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Speaking on the occasion, Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said the public had suspicions over alleged irregularities and discrepancies in the voter list revision process being undertaken across the country. He said the Election Commission was responsible for safeguarding the right to vote, which was crucial to the democratic system.

The Minister demanded the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and urged the Central government and the Election Commission to ensure transparency to restore public confidence in the electoral system.

He also condemned the arrest of Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi and MPs of the INDIA bloc, who, he said, were protesting peacefully to protect democracy. He termed the arrests illegal and undemocratic.

The Minister said the Congress party would continue its fight to uphold democracy and constitutional values.

Watch the video here: