Rahul joins protest march, targets EC against roll revision
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His remarks drew sharp criticism from BJP, who said that Rahul was allegedly attempting to pressure the judiciary ahead of a key Supreme Court hearing over the issue.
Rahul had come from Delhi to join the protest march, which began from the Income Tax roundabout. The march was meant to reach the office of the chief electoral officer, Bihar, when the police stopped it near the assembly. On being stopped, the leaders addressed the gathering there.
He alleged that the election commissioner was not only "stealing" votes but also the future of the younger generation. He warned that the law wouldn't spare the EC for indulging in such an act.
Leading the opposition's protest march in Patna, Rahul alleged that the "Maharashtra assembly elections were rigged to favour the BJP and now attempts are on to repeat the same in Bihar, though in a different manner."
RJD's Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, CPI-ML and CPI general secretaries Dipankar Bhattacharya and D Raja respectively and VIP's Mukesh Sahani, joined the protest.
"Maharashtra me janadesh chhina, ab Bihar me matadhikar—tarika naya, sajish purani (In Maharashtra, the people's mandate was snatched and now in Bihar, attempts are being made to rob the right to vote. The method could be new, but the conspiracy is old)," Rahul alleged, waving a copy of the Constitution. He said the EC's job is not to work for the BJP but to protect the Constitution, which it is not doing.
According to Rahul, the scene changed after the BJP made certain changes in the selection process of the EC.
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"Earlier, the BJP (ruling party), opposition parties, and the Chief Justice would together select the Election Commissioner, but now the thing has changed," Rahul said, warning they would have to face the consequences.
Alleging the SIR is an attempt to disenfranchise the poor voters, Tejashwi warned of revolution over the issue.
Bhattacharya claimed the people of Bihar are in the mood to teach a lesson to the 20-year-long NDA BJP-Nitish govt this time, but the Election Commission is engaged in misleading the public and conspiring in voter selection.
Reacting sharply, senior BJP leader and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad questioned the motive behind the protest, asking if the opposition is trying to pressure the judiciary by such tactics. "All these leaders have approached the Supreme Court, which is their right, and when the hearing is scheduled for tomorrow, why are they engaging in street politics today to exert pressure?" he said.
Deputy CM, Samrat Choudhary, said Rahul came here only for a picnic. "Rahul came here just for a picnic; he has nothing to do with Bihar's problems," Choudhary alleged.
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