Youth Congress blockades Income Tax office in Keralam’s Kollam demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s removal

As part of nationwide protests demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of vote chori (theft), Youth Congress workers staged a blockade of the Income Tax Office in Kollam on Thursday.

Arriving on the premises in the morning, the activists locked the deputy director’s office from the outside, bringing official work to a brief halt.

The police arrived at the scene upon receiving information and forcibly removed the Youth Congress activists before unlocking the office doors.

Inaugurating the protest, Youth Congress State vice-president Vishnu Sunil Pandalam alleged that instead of ensuring transparent elections, Mr. Kumar was subverting democracy by arbitrarily cutting down votes. He further accused the Central government of misusing investigative agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Income Tax department to undermine democratic values, warning that intense agitations will follow if Mr. Kumar is not removed.

Youth Congress district president Riyas Chithara presided over the protest while other leaders, including Kaushik M. Das, Ullas Uliyakovil, Harshad Muthiraparambu, and Anas Eravipuram, led the demonstrations. Mr. Chithara said the Youth Congress leadership would spearhead strong and continuous agitations across the district in the coming days.