Jammu, Oct 03 (KNO): Constituents of the INDIA alliance in Jammu and Kashmir, will jointly hold ‘Save Democracy’ marches across the Union Territory from tomorrow as part of a nationwide campaign against alleged irregularities in the electoral process.
According to the details available with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) political parties including ruling National Conference (NC), Congress, Peoples Democratic Party and NPPI will jointly organize protest marches in different districts of Jammu and Kashmir between October 4 and 8.
The announcements were made at a joint press conference at the J&K Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters at Shaheedi Chowk here following a meeting of senior leaders of the alliance parties to chalk out the programme.
The leaders said the Jammu march on October 7 would form part of the first phase of the INDIA bloc’s nationwide campaign launched on October 2, and would focus on their allegations of “vote chori” and their demand for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Senior leaders who attended the meeting included JKPCC Working President Raman Bhalla, former minister Mula Ram, Congress chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma, JKNC Provincial President Ratan Lal Gupta, former MLC Sheikh Bashir Ahmed, PDP leaders Ram Paul Sharma, Rajinder Singh Manhas and Sat Pal Charak, and NPPI leader Gagan Pratap Singh.
The leaders said like-minded opposition parties have decided to jointly raise what they described as manipulation of the electoral system and seek changes to ensure what they called an independent and impartial Election Commission and a fair electoral process.
They alleged that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise has resulted in the deletion of more than 13.30 crore voters and claimed that eligible citizens had been deprived of their right to vote. The allegations were made by the opposition parties as part of their wider campaign against the electoral process.
The alliance leaders said the campaign would seek to raise what they described as threats to democratic institutions and the electoral system. They attributed the campaign to concerns raised by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders, as well as recent media reports.
The leaders said opposition MPs would march to the Election Commission office in New Delhi on October 6 and seek an appointment with the President of India. They also announced plans for five mega rallies in different parts of the country as part of the campaign.
The INDIA alliance leaders also reiterated their demand for early restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, saying the delay had caused resentment among people in the Union Territory.
The meeting at the PCC headquarters lasted around two hours. “Schedule of protests in different districts was finalized in accordance with decisions taken at an INDIA bloc meeting in New Delhi on September 30,” said a Congress leader—(KNO)