Election Commission row: Opposition’s fight against ‘injustice’ will continue, says Aaditya Thackeray

Amid the ongoing Election Commission row, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray has said that Opposition’s fight against ‘injustice’ will continue.

He accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of being “arrogant” and said protests across the country were part of a continuing “fight against injustice”, reported the ANI.

Aaditya Thackeray also alleged that the BJP-led Maharashtra government had been formed with the “blessings” of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. He made the remarks amid the Opposition’s protest demanding Kumar’s resignation.

“The government is arrogant. Today, protests are taking place across various sectors of the country. This is a fight against injustice, and this fight will continue,” Thackeray told reporters, according to the ANI.

He further alleged that the Maharashtra government had been formed with the support of the CEC.

“Their government has been formed with the blessings of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. If Gyanesh Kumar goes, their government will go too. This government is illegal,” Aaditya Thackeray said, the news agency reported.

His remarks are part of the Opposition’s wider campaign against the Election Commission over its functioning and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Earlier in the day, INDIA bloc leaders marched towards the Election Commission headquarters in New Delhi, demanding the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.

The Opposition MPs were stopped by barricades from entering Nirvachan Sadan. Several leaders, including Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, then staged a sit-in at Akashvani Bhavan, around 100 metres from the Election Commission office.

Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and several other leaders were later detained by Delhi Police.

Congress MPs Pawan Khera, KC Venugopal and Amarinder Singh Raja Warring were among those detained. Delhi Police also detained several Youth Congress and NSUI leaders, including Indian Youth Congress president Uday Bhanu Chib, outside Akashvani Bhavan.

After being detained, the INDIA bloc MPs were taken to the New Police Lines in Kingsway Camp.

Congress MP Pawan Khera warned that the Opposition’s campaign would continue.

“The trouble has only just begun. Gyanesh Kumar will regret not meeting us. Watch what happens next,” Khera said, as per the ANI.

Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav said the Opposition would continue its protest until Kumar resigns.

“This battle has only just begun. On the very first day, the entire Opposition, united under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, marched to the Election Commission to demand the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar,” Yadav said, the news agency reported.

He said it was the Opposition’s constitutional right to raise its demands peacefully and criticised the detention of Rahul Gandhi.

Congress MP Amarinder Singh Raja Warring alleged that the police treated MPs, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, “as if we were criminals”.

Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad also said the Opposition would not be deterred by the police action.

“We were detained and brought here. We will not get scared by the action of the police. The fight will continue until the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar,” Gaikwad said, reported the ANI.

The protest is part of the Opposition’s broader “Save Democracy” campaign against the Election Commission.

INDIA bloc leaders have been holding protests and public programmes over the functioning of the poll panel and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.

The Opposition has been demanding greater transparency from the Election Commission and the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar. The Election Commission has maintained that the SIR exercise is being conducted in accordance with the law.

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