Oppn declares all-out war on SIR, announces march to EC on Oct 6

New Delhi : The INDIA bloc has unveiled a comprehensive joint action plan, including nationwide rallies and marches, to protest the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) row and advocate for the reintroduction of ballot papers in Indian elections, alleging threats to democratic processes.

INDIA bloc meet over SIR

The INDIA bloc has agreed on a joint action plan to protest the SIR row and demand a return to ballot papers for all elections.

The plan includes "save democracy" marches from October 2-8, demonstrations at district magistrate offices, and a march by opposition MPs to the Election Commission on October 6.

Opposition leaders will seek an appointment with the President of India in the second week of October to make a representation against alleged "vote chori."

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee accused the ruling government and specific Election Commission officials of undermining democracy and electoral integrity.

The meeting follows reports of two Election Commissioners raising objections to SIR decisions, which the EC has defended as normal deliberations.

The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) on Wednesday finalised a joint action plan over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) row, including holding rallies and 'save democracy marches', with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge asserting that all parties agreed that elections should be held through ballot papers instead of electronic voting machines (EVMs).

The opposition grouping made the assertion after a three-and-a-half hour meeting of its leaders, including Kharge, former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Rashtriya Janata Dal's Tejashwi Yadav and Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar MP Supriya Sule.

At a joint briefing by INDIA bloc leaders after their meeting, Kharge said the leaders have decided on a joint action plan.

Joint Action Plan Details

Kharge said the parties have decided that involving young people and NGOs, 'save democracy' marches will be taken out from October 2-8 and demonstrations will be held before the district magistrate's office.

On October 6, all opposition MPs will march to the Election Commission, he said.

The Leaders of Opposition will seek appointment from the President of India and will make a representation in the second week of October against 'the vote chori government', he said.

"We will hold a five big rallies and a date and place of which would be decided. We will tell people how the government is snatching the right of the people to elect their government for running the country," he said.

"Now everyone is realising that what Rahul ji was saying is correct and it is attracting attention. First Prime Minister Narendra Modi did 'notebandi' now doing 'votebandi', taking away people's rights," kharge said.

INDIA bloc leaders appeal to the Supreme Court that it should expedite the cases of SIR and electoral malpractices, Kharge said.

Demand For Ballot Papers And Allegations

Asked about reverting to ballots instead of EVMs, Kharge said everyone 100 per cent agreed on it that all elections should be on ballot and that the laws framed by this 'chori government' in power should be annulled.

He said some leaders participated in the meeting online like Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackery chief Uddhav Thackeray and Jharkhand Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief Hemant Soren.

"With unanimity, everyone vowed to fight together," he said.

Kharge charged that the real 'puppeteers' of the Election Commission are Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

"The pawns are just a front, the PM, HM are behind the vote chori and thus they are winning polls," Kharge alleged, adding that they are 'harassing' those fighting for democracy.

Opposition Leaders Speak Out

Rahul Gandhi said all parties are of the opinion that the democratic structure of India has been attacked by Prime Minister Modi, Home Minister Shah and CEC Gyanesh Kumar.

"We are not going to take it lying down, we will ensure that those who have destroyed Indian democracy are punished," he said.

Rahul Gandhi said Opposition has been quite successful in conveying to people that the PM and the HM have destroyed democracy and elections are stolen.

"I mentioned to all opposition leaders that they are the collective defenders of the Constitution and in the next few months we will make serious changes in the country," the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said.

In her remarks, Banerjee said the whole issue was a 'scandalous matter'.

"Gyanesh Kumar is a chor, daaku... he must resign immediately. Let us save democracy. Voting is our constitutional right," the former West Bengal chief minister said.

"Our forceful demand is that if Gyanesh Kumar is not removed, this (agitation will go from 'mitti to aasmaan' (every corner)," Banerjee said.

Background On SIR Row

The parties that attended the meeting were the Congress, the Samajwadi Party, the All India Trinamool Congress, the NCP-SP, the Shiv Sena-UBT, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Communist Party of India-Marxist, the Communist Party of India, the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, the Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist, the Indian Union Muslim League, the Kerala Congress-M, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, the Revolutionary Socialist Party, the Kerala Congress-Jacob, Bahujan Freedom Party President MA Mujeeb and the All India Forward Bloc.

Independent Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal also attended the meeting.

The meeting comes days after The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected on record at least 14 times over the past 10 months to decisions and orders on the SIR (Special Intensive Revision) that they said were issued without their knowledge or recommendation.

Under fire over the red flags raised by two of its commissioners over the SIR process, the EC has asserted that differing views and observations are a normal part of deliberations in any institution and all its orders carry full legal sanction and follow established statutory procedures.