Congress stages protest in Visakhapatnam over SIR exercise

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District Congress Committee leaders and supporters stage a protest at Gandhi statue near GVMC in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday, demanding the removal and legal action against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise. Photo: V RAJU / THE HINDU | Photo Credit: V RAJU

The Congress organised a protest at the Gandhi statue near the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) office in Visakhapatnam, opposing what its leaders alleged was the deletion of voters during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. The protesters demanded that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar be arrested.

Visakhapatnam district Congress president Hasini Varma alleged that the deletion of lakhs of votes in the name of SIR was against democratic principles and demanded action against those responsible. Senior Congress leader Vegi Venkatesh alleged that attempts were being made to delete the votes of Congress sympathisers.

The protesters demanded protection of the right to vote and raised slogans including “Modi Hatao, Desh Bachao” and “Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod”. They later took out a rally from the GVMC office to the Indira Gandhi statue and formed a human chain.

Several Congress leaders and workers participated in the protest.

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