TMC MP Saugata Roy said Mamata Banerjee and INDIA bloc leaders will meet the CJI to protest the Centre’s clampdown in Delhi to shield CEC Gyanesh Kumar. He condemned the mass detention of opposition leaders and likened the situation to the Emergency.
TMC Slams Centre’s ‘Desperation’
Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Saugata Roy on Sunday announced that former West Bengal Chief Minister and party supremo Mamata Banerjee will join leaders of the INDIA bloc to submit a memorandum to the Chief Justice of India (CJI) on Monday, while accusing the Centre of turning Delhi into a “prison” to shield Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
Speaking to ANI, Roy launched a fierce attack on the central government over the widespread detentions of opposition figures and student leaders during protests in the national capital on Saturday. “This is a sign of desperation on the part of the government. Whenever a ruling regime feels its ground slipping, it resorts to such measures. Yesterday, they turned the entire city of Delhi into a prison. Three former MPs of the CPM, a former Chief Minister from Trinamool, All India Students’ Association (AISA) leader Neha Bora—they were all arrested. Furthermore, even before stepping off the flight, CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka, and Saurav Das were detained,” Roy said.
Drawing a parallel with the 1975 Emergency, the senior TMC MP said, “In Delhi, 250 trains were cancelled, the metro was shut down, and the internet was suspended. I lived through the Emergency as well; even back then, such extreme steps were not taken. The government is digging its own grave. In their bid to protect Gyanesh Kumar, their own regime will become shaky.”
Mamata to Join INDIA Bloc Delegation to CJI
Roy confirmed that Mamata Banerjee who stayed back in Delhi after missing her scheduled return flight following her detention on Saturday will be part of the joint opposition delegation to the Supreme Court on Monday. “Tomorrow, Mamata Banerjee will be present. A deputation will be submitted to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. She will be participating as part of the INDIA alliance. The INDIA alliance is also scheduled to take out a protest march,” Roy said, adding that “whoever (opposition MPs) is available will be there. There is no point demanding that ‘everyone’ be there. Some live in Kanyakumari, some in Kashmir. I cannot say if everyone can reach in time. Those present will participate.”
Roy Defends Protests, Blames Govt for Disruption
Defending the opposition’s call for demonstrations and brushing aside concerns regarding commuter inconvenience, the TMC leader pinned the blame squarely on the administration’s clampdown. “That disruption was caused by the government! Look, there is no use indulging in theoretical talk. Those in opposition are bound to oppose. The government is overreacting. The preventive, repressive laws the government is deploying will not succeed in stopping this. Whenever an agitation takes place, people tend to complain about inconvenience and losses. But how else is a protest supposed to happen? Should people just sit quietly at home? Whatever is happening is justified,” Roy asserted.
Demand to Scrap Voter Revision Exercise
Roy also demanded the immediate scrapping of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, alleging unprecedented voter suppression across the country. “In West Bengal alone, 90 lakh voters’ names were struck off. Across the nation, 13 crore names have been deleted. No arithmetic can justify this. Such large-scale voter deletion has never occurred since Independence. That is precisely why we demand that this SIR [Special Intensive Revision] exercise be scrapped entirely,” Roy added.
CJP Leaders Released from Custody
Meanwhile, a Delhi Executive Magistrate court on Sunday ordered the release of three CJP leaders, Abhijit Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, who were taken into preventive custody by Delhi Police ahead of a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The three leaders have been directed not to indulge in any activity that may breach peace and tranquillity for the next one year as a condition of their release, according to their advocate Ratna Singh.
Reacting to the update, Roy further added, “That’s good, I am glad. They represent the youth. The more they agitate, the better it is.”
Background: Saturday’s Mass Detentions in Delhi
The remarks come after Delhi witnessed heightened security, mass detentions and a political confrontation throughout the day on Saturday as the CJP-led protest at Jantar Mantar, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, was met with a heavy police deployment. Police detained the CJP’s Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das from an aircraft, barricades were erected at the Ghazipur border, and gates at 45 Metro stations remained closed, triggering allegations of a crackdown on democratic rights and a counterattack from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Around 1,000 people were detained in the national capital, including prominent Opposition leaders such as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, CPI(M) leader Pinarayi Vijayan, and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)