CEC Gyanesh Kumar row highlights: 'Black day for democracy' says Congress after MPs detained, vows protest tomorrow

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CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: Karnataka Youth Congress members staged a torchlight protest at Bengaluru’s Freedom Park on Wednesday, demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in electoral roll revision.

Led by state president Manjunath Gowda, protesters raised slogans against the Election Commission and the central government.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: The BJP on Wednesday criticised Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra over the INDIA bloc’s second consecutive day of protests against the Election Commission. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi accused the Congress leadership of choosing street protests and “anarchy to grab media attention” after losing its mass base. The BJP also alleged that Rahul Gandhi tried to push a woman police personnel during the protest, an allegation the Congress has not immediately responded to. Rahul and other Opposition leaders were detained after police stopped their procession towards Jantar Mantar.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday thanked INDIA bloc MPs for standing firm in what he described as the defence of democracy, following the Opposition’s protest near Jantar Mantar in Delhi.

"I am thankful to every INDIA alliance MP standing firm in defence of our democracy - in Parliament, outside on the streets, and today near Jantar Mantar.

They can stop a march. They can refuse a meeting. But they cannot stop the will of our people.

Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Gyanesh Kumar and the entire system will be brought to justice," he wrote on X.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: CPI(M) MP John Brittas said, “If Centre tries to protect Gyanesh Kumar, PM Modi and Amit Shah will sink along with him."

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: The BJP on Wednesday alleged that Rahul Gandhi tried to push a woman police personnel during the INDIA bloc’s protest on Ashoka Road in Delhi. BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari shared a video of the incident and criticised Gandhi, while the Congress has not yet reacted. "In his eagerness to make a reel, Rahul Gandhi attempts to push a female police personnel," he wrote on X.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Aradhana Misra on Wednesday condemned the treatment of Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, calling it a “murder of democracy”.

"Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra treated in a condemnable manner, it is murder of democracy," she told PTI.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: AISA national president Neha Bora on Wednesday condemned the Delhi Police over “violence” against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra and other Opposition MPs.

“Absolute shame on Delhi Police for this violence against MahuaMoitra and other opposition MPs,” Bora said on X.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: The Congress party on Wednesday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government and called October 7 a ‘black day for Indian democracy’.

The party said it will hold nation-wide protests tomorrow.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: “We are in Chatrasal stadium now. Beaten & bruised but going strong. Gyanesh will GO,” TMC MP Mahua Moitra said on Wednesday.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: Congress social media chairperson Supriya Shrinate on X slammed Delhi Police. She shared a photo Mahua Moitra who was allegedly injured by Delhi Police.

“This is what Amit Shah’s Delhi Police does to women MPs.”

“Modi, You are so done, bro!”

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: Samajwadi Party is expected to join the INDIA bloc protests tomorrow.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: Congress party will continue to stage protest on Thursday.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: After being detained Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, "What does democracy mean? People's rule. It has certain principles, which are laid down in the Constitution. This Delhi Police also works for the Constitution. The government should work for this Constitution... We want to meet the Election Commission. We want to meet them. We want to tell them what we think and how the election process is being conducted. And we want to demand his resignation."

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: “You are all doing your work”, says Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi to police personnel as he hands out water bottles to them from bus during detention.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: Congress general secretary KC Venugopal criticised the detention of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi by Delhi Police, accusing the government of trying to intimidate the party’s leaders.

In a post on X, Venugopal alleged that Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi had been “manhandled” by police and said the Congress would continue its protests, vowing to return in greater numbers until what he described as the “Vote Chors” were held accountable.

“We are only just getting started, this petty intimidation will not deter us. We will return in greater numbers tomorrow, the day after, and the day after - until the Vote Chors face justice.”

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said, "These kinds of attempts, brutality by the police, will not tire us out. We will continue to fight. It is better for Prime Minister Modi to shed his arrogance and seek the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar."

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: Congress MP Pawan Khera says, "Everything is before you. We sat on a dharna wherever they stopped us. We are ready to sit here all through the night."

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi says, "...They can do all this stuff, but we are going to bring them to justice. My guarantee is that all four (Union Home Minister Amit Shah, PM Modi, RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, CEC Gyanesh Kumar) of them will be brought to justice. This is all a panic reaction. This is all fear. Yes, they are going to be brought to justice...They have attacked the most sacred. They have attacked the Constitution. They have attacked the voice of the people. They are going to pay for it on the streets"

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: “Shameful visuals coming in from Delhi. The entire country is watching this and taking a note of the national embarrassment that the Delhi Police has become,” Cockroach Janta Party co-convenor Ashutosh Ranka said on Wednesday.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who was detained on Wednesday evening while on his way to Jantar Mantar to protest against chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, said the fight would continue until Kumar’s resignation.

“We are not going to stop protesting till Gyanesh Kumar resigns. This is a fight to protect the most sacred thing in this country. There is nothing that Narendra Modi and Amit Shah can do that will stop us,” he said.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who was detained today by Delhi Police, was taken to Barakhamba police station.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday said that Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders were “dragged away and arrested” by Delhi Police at Janpath while they were on their way to Jantar Mantar to protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

In a post on X, Ramesh alleged that the police action against elected representatives reflected the “contempt” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for the Constitution and democracy.

“INDIA janbandhan leaders were simply attempting to reach Jantar Mantar to register their protest against the capture of the electoral system through the CEC. This is the reality of the We Will Do It proclaimed by the Slogan Sultan today,” he wrote.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: TMC MP Mahua Moitra says, "You can see the brute force with which Delhi Police is handling peaceful protesters. Gyanesh Kumar has to resign. What is our fault? Why are the workers, the public being brutally manhandled and lathi-charged by the Delhi Police. Why are MPs being blocked from reaching Jantar Mantar? What is going on here?"

CEC Gyanesh Kumar row LIVE: Congress MP Shafi Parambil gets into a scuffle with Delhi Police officials as they try to forcibly remove him from INDIA bloc protest.