Four Left-wing student and youth organisations took to the streets of Agartala on Friday, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner of India Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the electoral process.
The protest march was organised jointly by the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), Tripura Youth Federation (TYF), Tripura Students’ Union (TSU) and Students’ Federation of India (SFI). The procession moved through various parts of the capital before concluding at Orient Chowmuhani, where protesters burnt an effigy of the Chief Election Commissioner.
DYFI state secretary Nabarun Deb, along with leaders, activists and supporters of the four organisations, took part in the demonstration.
Addressing the media during the protest, Deb accused Gyanesh Kumar of acting in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He alleged that the Chief Election Commissioner’s actions were creating a situation in which citizens were being divided into different categories based on their access to voting rights.
Deb claimed that nearly 13 crore voters across several states had been deprived of their franchise, effectively placing them in the position of second-class citizens. He further alleged that the BJP was using the office of the Chief Election Commissioner to implement measures intended to retain its grip on power.
Referring to what he described as irregularities involving the Chief Election Commissioner, Deb said student and youth organisations would organise a protest in New Delhi on Saturday. He also claimed that railway and metro services in the national capital had been suspended in anticipation of the demonstration.
