Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday asked chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign and become an approver, claiming he is not the "main vote-theft criminal". He added that they are after the people behind what Kumar did and the Opposition might even forgive him. Gandhi said the protests against Kumar will continue and the deployment of heavy security forces and crackdown on protesters proves how the government is trying to protect him.
“Turn approver. You have committed a crime, and frankly you are not the main criminal. You have made a mistake. You are not the mind behind the mistake. We are after the people who are behind what you did,” said Gandhi when asked for his advice to Kumar. Track updates from anti-CEC protests here
“It is very easy for you. Resign and get out of the way. No problem. We might even forgive you because that will be a service to the nation and the Constitution. We know you have been forced by PM [Prime Minister Narendra Modi], home minister [Amit Shah], [National Security Advisor] Ajit Doval, and Mr Adani."
Rahul says understand Gyanesh Kumar's pressure
Gandhi said they understand the type of pressure Kumar faces. "We are forgiving people. We are not cruel…but we will defend the Constitution," he said ahead of the Opposition march to the Supreme Court to file a petition on the alleged vote-theft
The Opposition decided to march to the Supreme Court after the Chief Justice of India (CJI), Surya Kant, declined its request for a meeting, saying it would be inappropriate. The Opposition planned to seek the CJI's intervention regarding the crackdown on the protests in Delhi against the alleged irregularities in the electoral process.
Gandhi said they are getting reports that the Delhi Police personnel are “very disturbed” that they have been deployed to beat up young people. He claimed that 50% of security forces told him that the Opposition is on the right path. “We are getting reports that police are very disturbed over why they are being used to beat up India’s youth?"
He said they were told that "goons" of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideological fount, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), were assaulting women protesters. "Fifty per cent of the police are telling me that we [Opposition] are doing the right thing. The Opposition, police, and CAPF [central armed police forces] are on one side, and Modi, Gyanesh Kumar, Ajit Doval, and some officials in the ECI [Election Commission of India] are on the other side. Why are all these things happening? Because we are asking why Gyanesh Kumar is not resigning. Within the police, they are questioning why we are saving a thief like Gyanesh Kumar?” Gandhi said.
Gandhi said all protests are one. "There are no parallel protests. "We do not care who you are,” Gandhi said. He added the CJI asked them to file a petition to start a legal process. "We are going to the Supreme Court, and we will file a petition together. All those who are against the government want to save democracy.”
On Friday, a delegation of Opposition leaders met President Droupadi Murmu and alleged that Modi, Shah and Gyanesh Kumar have conspired to destroy democracy. The delegation demanded Kumar's resignation and repeal of the 2023 law that provides life-long immunity to the chief election commissioner and the election commissioners.
In their memorandum to the President, the delegation sought immediate suspension of the Special Intensive Revision of the electoral roll and immediate restoration of all 1.33 million voters illegally deleted.
The Opposition called for a return to paper ballots for all elections and repealing assembly polls over the past two years, citing conclusive evidence of vote theft presented.
After the 45-minute meeting with Murmu, Gandhi claimed that the President did not refute their charges. “I sat in quite an unbelievable meeting. We said PM, Amit Shah, and Gyanesh Kumar have conspired to destroy democracy. The President did not deny or argue. She accepted our statement and said we need to bring her proof of election theft. The proof of vote chori is known to the whole country."
Gandhi said 24 elections have been stolen, and yet the President sought proof. "The same group of people will happily take the proof to her. The main thing is that I actually expected the President to deny that vote chori is taking place. I am shocked and stunned that the President accepted what we said."
Gandhi said members of Parliament tried to meet Kumar, but were detained. "Then we tried to go to Jantar Mantar, a place for public protest, but we were again stopped. Now we have come to the President, and on Monday, this same group will go to the Supreme Court to give a memorandum.”