Indian police broke up an opposition sit-in yesterday and briefly detained Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi and other legislators, after they had demanded the election chief’s resignation over claims that voter lists were revised to favour the government.
Dozens of parliamentarians led by Gandhi had marched on the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters before beginning the nearby sit-in on white mattresses under a tree, which ended in the evening when police swooped in and hauled several of them into vehicles.
Parties opposing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, along with members of the popular ‘cockroach’ youth movement, launched protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar after the Indian Express newspaper reported disagreements within the commission last month over updating voter lists.
The demonstrations present a political challenge to Modi midway into his third term, just months after similar protests forced the resignation of his education minister over exam paper leaks.
The reported differences over the voter lists and registration procedures stoked concern about the neutrality of the commission, led by a Modi government appointee. Reuters could not verify the newspaper report.
Congress and other parties say the revised voter lists benefit Modi and his party.
Kumar has not commented on the issue, but the ECI and Modi’s governing Bharatiya Janata Party have denied the accusations.
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