CEC Gyanesh Kumar postpones two-day visit to Chhattisgarh amid opposition protests over his removal | Today’s news
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar has postponed his two-day visit to Chhattisgarh. The visit was scheduled for October 7 and 8.
Kumar, who is facing criticism over the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, was scheduled to visit Danteshwari Mata temple in Dantewada district, Chitrakoot waterfall in Bastar and Bhoramdev temple in Kawardha district. The CEC was to accompany senior ECI officials to the state.
“It is informed that due to unavoidable reasons, the Commission (ECI) has postponed the program of visit of Shri Gyanesh Kumar, Hon’ble Chief Election Commissioner and other senior officials of the Commission to Chhattisgarh. The revised date of the visit will be communicated separately once received from the Commission,” quoted the letter issued by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Hindugarh.
Kumar was to be hosted as a state guest for the duration of his visit and instructions were issued to make necessary protocol arrangements for him, according to the letter.
The visit was postponed due to opposition protests against Kumar and the functioning of the Election Commission of India. INDIA Bloc MPs, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, were detained on Tuesday evening after their more than eight-hour sit-in at the Akashvani Bhawan premises as they were not allowed to march towards the Election Commission office.
Opposition leaders protested the allegation, which they all called “vote chori”, and sought Kumar’s resignation in the wake of media reports of alleged disagreements in the Election Commission over a special intensive revision of electoral rolls and other issues.
Among other leaders, the Delhi Police forcibly removed Congress KC Venugopal, Charanjit Singh Channi, Pawan Khera, K Suresh, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Deepender Hooda, Praniti Shinde, Varsha Gaekwad and Imran Pratapgarhi because All India Radio (AIR) leaders protested.
Later, Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders were released around 10 pm, the party said.
The detainees were taken to the New Police Lines at Kingsway Camp.
Earlier, several policemen detained Rahul Gandhi as they forcibly removed him from the spot and took him to a bus. Gandhi and other MPs including Venugopal initially resisted the police action but were removed from the premises within minutes.
Gandhi had earlier entered the AIR premises on Parliament Street around noon and started a dharna after police thwarted an attempt by opposition MPs to march to the Election Commission office, barely 300 meters away, on allegations of “election malaise”.
It is informed that the Commission has postponed the program of visit of Shri Gyanesh Kumar to Chhattisgarh due to unavoidable reasons.
Police later said about 250 people, including 50 MPs, had been detained on Tuesday night after more than eight hours of protest.
(With input from agencies)
