Hyderabad: The CPI(M) Telangana State Committee demanded Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and condemned the arrest of party leaders during a protest in New Delhi. The party also called for scrapping the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The CPI(M) organised a protest at RTC Cross Roads in Hyderabad on Saturday after a march from its state office. Party members denounced the arrests in Delhi and alleged police raids at the party’s central offices, Surjeet Bhawan and AKG Bhawan.
Addressing the gathering, CPI(M) State Secretariat member G. Nagaiah condemned the detention of party leaders. He accused the Election Commission of functioning under the influence of the BJP-led Central government.
CPI(M) SIR protest demands restoration of deleted votes
Nagaiah alleged that the SIR process had selectively excluded voters from minority and marginalised communities. He claimed that around 13 crore votes had been deleted nationwide and described the alleged deletions as unconstitutional and undemocratic.
The CPI(M) leader demanded Gyanesh Kumar’s immediate resignation and the withdrawal of the SIR process. He also called for the restoration of deleted votes.
Nagaiah warned that the CPI(M), opposition parties, youth groups and student organisations would intensify nationwide protests if their demands remained unmet. The party said it would continue its campaign against the electoral roll revision.
CPI(M) State Secretariat members M.D. Abbas and T. Sagar also addressed the gathering. Hyderabad Central Committee Secretary M. Venkatesh, state committee members and leaders of mass organisations participated in the demonstration.