London: A large demonstration against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls brought hundreds to Parliament Square here on Saturday, with the Opposition Congress and UK-based Indian student bodies joining forces near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi, PTI reported.
As activist and YouTuber Dhruv Rathee spoke at the “Stop Vote Chori” rally, a smaller pro-government group assembled across from the Gandhi statue. Their chants of “Modi, Modi” competed with the main demonstration, with Metropolitan Police personnel standing between the two sides.
The confrontation intensified as both sides attempted to outshout one another, turning the square into a charged arena of competing political slogans.
“We don’t want any foreign interference. I am here at Parliament Square to address Indians and NRIs,” Rathee told the crowd in Hindi.
“It is important to spread the message against ‘vote chori’ in our country. These protests will stop the moment the Chief Election Commissioner is replaced by a candidate that is chosen in agreement between the government and Leader of the Opposition,” he said.
The gathering began with cries of “Inquilab Zindabad” and “Vande Mataram”, followed by a recitation of the Preamble to the Constitution of India.
The Indian Overseas Congress Youth wing led the demonstration, with backing from diaspora organisations including Save Democracy, the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) UK and the South Asia Solidarity Group, among others.
Govt Supporters Mobilise In Response
India Diaspora (ID) UK had circulated an “Urgent appeal to all London Bharat Premi Janta”, urging its supporters to assemble in a counter-demonstration.
“The Indian diaspora in the UK stands firmly, shoulder to shoulder, with Modi Ji and his government in their vision of a strong, united and developed India,” said ID UK founder Hirdesh Gupta.
Saturday’s turnout came a day after a comparatively modest protest and counter-protest outside the High Commission of India in London on Friday.
The event forms part of a wider run of demonstrations since Tuesday’s “Emergency Protest”, organised to amplify demands associated with the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP). These include calls for Gyanesh Kumar’s removal and the withdrawal of the SIR exercise in India.
The Election Commission, however, maintains that the revision is aimed at refreshing voter lists by removing entries of people who have died, shifted residence, been enrolled more than once or are otherwise ineligible.