Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Sunday sharply criticised the extensive crackdown on a planned protest in Delhi and the subsequent detention of thousands, questioning the state of democracy in the country. Speaking in Bengaluru, Shivakumar's remarks followed Saturday's events where authorities thwarted a mass mobilisation at Jantar Mantar.
An unprecedented security operation in the national capital saw over 7,000 protesters detained, including CJP leader Abhijit Dipke, four former chief ministers, and YouTuber Dhruv Rathee. The Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) had organised the demonstration to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Despite being a designated protest site, Jantar Mantar remained deserted throughout Saturday, secured by more than 30,000 security personnel and multiple layers of barricades across Lutyens' Delhi, effectively preventing protesters from reaching the area. Several leaders were reportedly picked up directly from the airport.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi should answer whether there was democracy or an Emergency in the country," Shivakumar asserted, labelling the detentions a "major embarrassment for India." He stressed that citizens hold the right to protest in a democracy and raise their voices, urging authorities to permit them to meet the Election Commission and other leaders to address their concerns. The Chief Minister described the incident as reflecting "cowardice," adding that public figures must be prepared to face and accept criticism when issues arise.
Addressing the Congress's absence from Saturday's CJP protest, Shivakumar clarified that the party operates independently and the organisers had not taken them into confidence. "We do not want to stop them," he stated, acknowledging that some INDIA bloc partners participated, which was their right. He announced that Congress would stage its own protest on Monday, with party legislators instructed to be in Delhi. Shivakumar confirmed his own travel to the national capital to advocate for voters' rights.
"We want every voter in this country to be protected and retain the right to vote. You cannot delete their names," Shivakumar declared. He alleged that significant numbers of voters had been removed from electoral rolls in Karnataka during the ongoing Special Summary Revision (SIR). The Chief Minister further claimed that Dalits, minorities, and backward classes were specifically targeted for deletion from voter lists for political gain, calling such actions "inhuman" and "authoritarianism, not democracy." He concluded by pledging that the Congress would "definitely fight against it and protect our people."
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đź“° Source: Sahil Online