Congress stages protest in Udhampur, demands CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, arrest... Hundreds of workers march through market wearing black bands; police seize effigy before burning, several senior leaders detained.... Udhampur: The District Congress Committee (DCC) Udhampur, under the leadership of District Congress President Sumeet Magotra, staged a protest on Monday demanding the resignation and arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The demonstration was attended by hundreds of Congress workers, senior leaders, district office-bearers and representatives of frontal organisations. The protest was led by Thakur Balveer Singh, former MLA and Congress observer for Udhampur district. Congress workers, wearing black bands, took out a march through the main market, raising slogans including “Stop Vote Chori”, “Save Democracy” and demanding the resignation of the CEC. During the protest, workers prepared an effigy of Gyanesh Kumar, placed it on a donkey and carried it through the market as a mark of protest. When the procession reached Slathia Chowk, a heavy police deployment was in place. Before the effigy could be set on fire, police personnel allegedly removed it from the donkey and took it into their possession. The seizure of the effigy led to a fresh protest by Congress workers, during which a scuffle reportedly took place between the protesters and police. Police subsequently attempted to take Sumeet Magotra and Thakur Balveer Singh into custody and put them in a police vehicle. Congress workers then gathered in front of the vehicle and continued raising slogans in protest. Speaking on the occasion, Thakur Balveer Singh said that Congress would continue its agitation until the demand for the CEC’s resignation was addressed. He said questions concerning transparency in the electoral process and the rights of voters must be answered. DCC President Sumeet Magotra alleged that questions being raised by the Congress over “vote theft” relate to alleged irregularities in the electoral process and voter rolls. He alleged a nexus between the Election Commission and the Central Government and demanded an independent inquiry into the allegations. “People across the country are asking questions about vote theft. These questions cannot be suppressed anymore. Any allegation concerning manipulation of votes or electoral rolls should be independently investigated, and if wrongdoing is established, those responsible should face action under law,” Magotra said. He added that the Congress’s campaign was about protecting every citizen’s right to vote and maintaining public confidence in the democratic process. “Those responsible for any wrongdoing must be identified and prosecuted according to law. The people of the country are now aware of the questions surrounding the electoral process, and these issues cannot simply be brushed aside,” Magotra said. The Congress leaders said the party would continue to raise the issue through democratic and constitutional means until its demands concerning electoral transparency and the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar were addressed. Senior Congress leaders detained Several senior Congress leaders and workers were also detained during the protest. Those detained included Gunjjar Singh, Vinod Khajuria, Suraj Chaudhary, Anil Pachiyala, Om Prakash, Madan Mathur, Shashi Manhas, Bansi Lal, Dwarka Prasad, Ashok Sharma, Ashok Jandial, Hans Raj Thakur, Rampal Bhagat, O.P. Khokhar, Kuldeep Singh Manhas, Thakur Mulkh Raj, Manmohan Raina, Riyaz Mohammad, Satish Khajuria, Sohan Lal, Haqiqat Singh, Tirath Ram, Rajesh Gupta, Mukesh Bharti, Shivam, Naeem Bande, Kuldeep Sharma, Surinder Kesari, Vinod Bhagat, Rakesh Kumar, Pankaj, Sandal Singh, Sanjeev Bakshi and Rajesh Chakdaria, among others

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Congress stages protest in Udhampur, demands CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, arrest... Hundreds of workers march through market wearing black bands; police seize effigy before burning, several senior leaders detained.... Udhampur: The District Congress Committee (DCC) Udhampur, under the leadership of District Congress President Sumeet Magotra, staged a protest on Monday demanding the resignation and arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The demonstration was attended by hundreds of Congress workers, senior leaders, district office-bearers and representatives of frontal organisations. The protest was led by Thakur Balveer Singh, former MLA and Congress observer for Udhampur district. Congress workers, wearing black bands, took out a march through the main market, raising slogans including “Stop Vote Chori”, “Save Democracy” and demanding the resignation of the CEC. During the protest, workers prepared an effigy of Gyanesh Kumar, placed it on a donkey and carried it through the market as a mark of protest. When the procession reached Slathia Chowk, a heavy police deployment was in place. Before the effigy could be set on fire, police personnel allegedly removed it from the donkey and took it into their possession. The seizure of the effigy led to a fresh protest by Congress workers, during which a scuffle reportedly took place between the protesters and police. Police subsequently attempted to take Sumeet Magotra and Thakur Balveer Singh into custody and put them in a police vehicle. Congress workers then gathered in front of the vehicle and continued raising slogans in protest. Speaking on the occasion, Thakur Balveer Singh said that Congress would continue its agitation until the demand for the CEC’s resignation was addressed. He said questions concerning transparency in the electoral process and the rights of voters must be answered. DCC President Sumeet Magotra alleged that questions being raised by the Congress over “vote theft” relate to alleged irregularities in the electoral process and voter rolls. He alleged a nexus between the Election Commission and the Central Government and demanded an independent inquiry into the allegations. “People across the country are asking questions about vote theft. These questions cannot be suppressed anymore. Any allegation concerning manipulation of votes or electoral rolls should be independently investigated, and if wrongdoing is established, those responsible should face action under law,” Magotra said. He added that the Congress’s campaign was about protecting every citizen’s right to vote and maintaining public confidence in the democratic process. “Those responsible for any wrongdoing must be identified and prosecuted according to law. The people of the country are now aware of the questions surrounding the electoral process, and these issues cannot simply be brushed aside,” Magotra said. The Congress leaders said the party would continue to raise the issue through democratic and constitutional means until its demands concerning electoral transparency and the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar were addressed. Senior Congress leaders detained Several senior Congress leaders and workers were also detained during the protest. Those detained included Gunjjar Singh, Vinod Khajuria, Suraj Chaudhary, Anil Pachiyala, Om Prakash, Madan Mathur, Shashi Manhas, Bansi Lal, Dwarka Prasad, Ashok Sharma, Ashok Jandial, Hans Raj Thakur, Rampal Bhagat, O.P. Khokhar, Kuldeep Singh Manhas, Thakur Mulkh Raj, Manmohan Raina, Riyaz Mohammad, Satish Khajuria, Sohan Lal, Haqiqat Singh, Tirath Ram, Rajesh Gupta, Mukesh Bharti, Shivam, Naeem Bande, Kuldeep Sharma, Surinder Kesari, Vinod Bhagat, Rakesh Kumar, Pankaj, Sandal Singh, Sanjeev Bakshi and Rajesh Chakdaria, among others