'Zero transparency, zero accountability from EC', alleges YouTuber Dhruv Rathee addressing SIR protest in Bengaluru

YouTuber Dhruv Rathee claimed on Thursday that the Election Commission (EC) demonstrated a lack of transparency and accountability regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. Speaking at a protest organized by civil society groups and the Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) at Freedom Park in Bengaluru, Rathee stated that he was not there to seek regime change.

Actor-activist Prakash Raj, also present at the protest, called for scrapping the SIR exercise, arguing it was not merely about deleting votes, but an assault on citizens' dignity and rights. Rathee alleged that Election Commission Chief Gyanesh Kumar is acting on the directives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke joined the protest, contributing to a nationwide campaign demanding EC chief Gyanesh Kumar's resignation over a significant revision of voter lists that has removed over 130 million people from the rolls. The CJP and student organizations called for a unified mobilization against Kumar ahead of their October 10 protest, vowing to continue the agitation until the electoral system is overhauled.

At a press conference in New Delhi, the groups aimed to position their campaign against the EC on a broader political platform, supporting the opposition INDIA bloc MPs' October 6 protest march and framing the conflict as one where people are defending democracy against the BJP.