Bengaluru: The Congress party has postponed its protest event, led by Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, to August 8 in view of the demise of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren. The protest was originally scheduled to be held at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on August 5 (Tuesday).
Speaking to reporters at Freedom Park on Monday, Deputy Chief Minister and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President D.K. Shivakumar made the announcement. “The scheduled programme stands committed; it is only postponed by three days due to the demise of our honourable leader and former CM Shibu Soren, who had a long-standing association with the Congress party. He was one of the key leaders of our INDIA bloc,” he said.
The rescheduled protest will be held on August 8 in Bengaluru. The press conference by Rahul Gandhi regarding the alleged election fraud, which was to be held prior to the protest, has also been postponed. Details of the new schedule will be shared later, Shivakumar added.
“Rahul Gandhi will explain many things to the nation,” he remarked.
Responding to the BJP's plans to stage a counter-protest and criticism, Shivakumar said, “We have every right to raise our voice and express our opinions. Whether we are right or wrong -- that is for the people of the country and the Election Commission of India to decide. Before knowing the facts, what does the BJP even have to say in this matter? Let them continue with their statements. We are not going to silence them.”
“They are welcome to make remarks. But at the same time, they must understand that this is a democracy, and this is the voice of the people,” he emphasised.
Speaking about alleged election discrepancies, he said, “We conducted a thorough investigation into election-related irregularities. I became aware of it during the Assembly elections. We were able to rectify it in many constituencies, but in some places it was beyond our control. On the last day, the voters' list was published, and by the time our candidates noticed the irregularities, it was too late. We took some time. We could have filed an election petition, but we know how that process plays out -- it has its own legal procedures.”
“We will inform the nation about what has happened here,” he asserted.
Randeep Singh Surjewala, Karnataka Congress in-charge and party General Secretary, added, “The ECI now stands for the ‘Election Capture of India’ -- that’s what it has turned into. Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party will not allow that to happen -- neither by the pseudo Election Commission nor by any other authority.”
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