Hundreds demand removal of Gyanesh Kumar in anti-SIR protest in Hyderabad

CPI(M) Politburo member G. Ramakrishnan called on the Tamil Nadu government to follow the example set by Kerala and pass a resolution in the State Legislative Assembly to scrap the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Speaking to reporters on Sunday after attending a free medical camp for construction workers in Vellore, Ramakrishnan urged Chief Minister C. Vijay to introduce such a measure. He argued that the current administration under the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam leadership must act to facilitate the re-enrollment of voters who have been removed from the registers. Ramakrishnan alleged that the central government, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, utilized the revision process to delete approximately 13.5 crore voters from national electoral rolls. He noted that all opposition parties, excluding the ruling party, have unified in their demand for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. To illustrate his point, the communist leader referenced the Kerala Legislative Assembly, where the ruling Congress party and the Left Front-led opposition unanimously adopted a similar resolution demanding the end of the special revision. Simultaneously, demonstrations against the revision took place in Hyderabad, reflecting widespread discontent across different regions. On Sunday, hundreds of individuals gathered at Dharna Chowk for a protest organized by a coalition known as People Against SIR. This group comprises various socio-political, student, and civil society organizations. The primary demand of the crowd was the dismissal of Kumar. Political scientist and human rights activist G. Haragopal addressed the gathering, stating that citizens should not merely seek the commissioner's removal but also insist on the preservation of constitutional freedoms. He criticized the central government for altering Election Commission rules and questioned the necessity of the revision entirely. The atmosphere at the Dharna Chowk protest was marked by rhythmic chanting and the display of numerous placards. Activists, students, and families, including children, formed a human barrier along the narrow road connecting Indira Park and Dharna Chowk, permitting vehicle traffic to flow through the center. Protesters held signs featuring slogans, poetry, and caricatures. One sign equated the revision with suppressing India's rights. Another mocked the commissioner with a definition describing him as someone who steals votes for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Other placards labeled the Election Commission as a thief and suggested electronic voting machines served only to benefit the prime minister. Two women wearing burqas held signs addressing the commissioner directly, urging him to resign. Speakers on a small platform faced a crowd estimated at nearly 500 people. A representative from the Students' Islamic Organisation of India claimed the ruling party intended to render non-Hindu communities second-class citizens. The crowd repeatedly chanted "Long Live the Revolution." Earlier in the week, on Saturday evening, another large assembly formed a human chain at Tank Bund near Hussain Sagar Lake in Hyderabad. This protest was co-organized by civil society, human rights, farmer, Dalit, youth, and student groups. Participants included students, activists, academics, professionals, and laborers. They demanded the cancellation of the revision, the removal of Kumar, and the repeal of the Chief Election Commissioner Act of 2023. Protesters also called for the immediate restoration of all deleted voters. They warned that the ongoing exercise could disenfranchise nearly half of Telangana's electorate. Data presented by organizers indicated that 73 lakh deletions had occurred in the region, with notices sent to 93 lakh individuals classified as doubtful voters. Protesters described these figures as representing the highest proportion of deletions in the country. They characterized the process as the government selecting voters rather than voters selecting the government. The demonstrators condemned police violence against protesters, specifically citing incidents in Delhi, and affirmed that peaceful protest is a fundamental constitutional right. Organizers stated that the process had traumatized millions of citizens, disproportionately affecting women, the working poor, Muslims, and transgender persons, while increasing the workload for booth-level officers. Critics of the Chief Election Commissioner Act of 2023 argued that the legislation compromised fairness in the appointment of commissioners and granted them broad immunity. Leaflets detailing alleged large-scale deletions in Hyderabad and Telangana were distributed at the venue. The organizers resolved to escalate their campaign across the state until the revision is abandoned. The special intensive revision is currently active in Telangana, with the final electoral rolls scheduled for publication on November 9.