Lucknow: Congress Workers Protest In Rain, Demand CEC Gyanesh Kumar's Resignation

Lucknow witnessed a protest by Congress leaders and workers on Friday, despite heavy rain, as they demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The protest was organized against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which the Congress has labeled as "vote theft" and manipulation of voter lists.

Led by Uttar Pradesh Congress in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam and state Congress president Ajay Rai, the protesters marched from the Uttar Pradesh Pradesh Congress headquarters towards the Chief Electoral Officer's office at Janpath Market. Slogans like "Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod," "Gyanesh Kumar, Istifa Do" and "Vote Chor Kahan Milenge, BJP Ke Daftar Mein" were raised during the march.

However, the protest was halted near the Sunni Waqf Board office on Mall Avenue when a heavy police deployment set up barricades to prevent the protesters from advancing further. A brief scuffle ensued between the Congress workers and the police when they attempted to cross the barricades.

Several Congress leaders, including Gautam, Rai, Aradhana Mishra Mona, and other national secretaries, were detained by the police and later released in the evening. Gautam accused Kumar of siding with the BJP and claimed that the Election Commission had been turned into the BJP's "B team." He demanded Kumar's immediate resignation and strict action against him.

Congress leader Rai echoed Gautam's sentiments, stating that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had repeatedly raised concerns over alleged connections between the BJP and the Election Commission. He accused the poll panel of compromising the democratic process and vowed that the Congress would continue its campaign until Kumar was removed from office.