Chennai, Oct 16:
The INDIA bloc constituents headed by Congress in Tamil Nadu, including the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) of Chief Minister Vijay, staged a massive demonstration in the city on Thursday against the alleged vote thefts and demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner C.Gyanesh Kumar.
Leaders of all the constituents of the INDIA bloc, in which TVK was formally inducted on October three, took part in the protest and shouted slogans denouncing the SIR exercise and the alleged vote theft and demanded the removal of the CEC. The participation of School Education Minister A.Rajmohan marked TVK’s first major agitation since joining the INDIA bloc.
TNCC President and Lok Sabha MP B.Manickam Tagore led the protests at Egmore area in the city in which AICC in-charge for Tamil Nadu Nivedit Alva, VCK Founder and Lok Sabha MP Thol.Thirumavalavan, IUML Leader Khader Mohideen, MDMK General Secretary Vaiko, CPI State Secretary M.Veerapandian and CPI(M) State Secretary P.Shanmugam–whose parties are supporting the Vijay government from outside, took part in the agitaton.
Strongly condeming the BJP-led centre and the Election Commission of India (ECI) for mass voter deletions, including about 97 lakh in Tamil Nadu alone, under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and reiterated the ouster of Gyanesh Kumar. They also slammed the Union Government for using the ECI as a tool to snatch the voting rights of 13 crore people besides the sacking of the CEC.
The agitation, the first by INDIA bloc in Tamil Nadu, sans the principal Opposition DMK, which had made it clear it was no longer part of it both at the National and State level and that it would never take part in amny protests organised by its former ally, Congress, was held in line with the resolution adopted at the October three meeting.
With the DMK President M.K.Stalin questioning the TVK and Vijay’s silence on the CEC removal demand, its participation in today’s agitation has demonstrated its stand on the SIR row.
The INDIA bloc’s stir was held in the backdrop of widespread demand for the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar and the agitation spearheaded by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi against the poll body.