GUWAHATI, Sept 25: Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Gaurav Gogoi and several senior party leaders were detained by police on Friday while attempting to cross barricades during a protest in Guwahati demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The protest was part of the Congress’s nationwide demonstrations over alleged irregularities in the functioning of the Election Commission of India, including issues related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The party has demanded Kumar’s removal and an independent review of electoral-roll changes made during his tenure.
Congress workers assembled at Rajiv Bhawan, the party’s state headquarters, before taking out a procession towards the office of the Chief Electoral Officer in Dispur. The party had also planned to burn an effigy of the CEC.
Police deployed barricades to stop the procession. Tension briefly escalated when Gogoi and other leaders attempted to move past the police cordon, following which they were detained.
The Congress has raised allegations concerning the functioning of the poll panel and has called for greater transparency and accountability. The Election Commission has maintained that its actions are governed by legal and constitutional procedures.
The Guwahati protest was part of the Congress’s wider campaign against the Election Commission, with similar demonstrations held in several states on Friday.
