Indians on Sunday staged fresh demonstrations demanding the resignation of the country’s Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, as police began investigating allegations of sexual harassment involving officers during protests in New Delhi.
The protests, which entered their third day, were sparked by allegations of irregularities in a large-scale revision of the country’s voter register that has resulted in millions of names being removed from the electoral roll.
The Election Commission of India has denied any wrongdoing, while Kumar has yet to publicly comment on the allegations.
Thousands of protesters gathered in Mumbai on Sunday, waving Indian flags and calling for Kumar’s removal from office.
Supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party, a satirical online movement launched in May, were among those participating in the demonstrations.
The group had previously campaigned for the removal of the then education minister.
“Mumbai is out on the streets again for free and fair elections!” CJP chief Abhijeet Dipke said in a social media post on Sunday.
“Solidarity with all the protestors,” he added. “All Indians need to come together. It’s now or never!”
Meanwhile, dozens of activists, including CJP supporters, gathered outside a police station in New Delhi on Sunday, demanding an investigation into allegations involving police officers during Saturday’s protests.
The allegations emerged after police detained scores of protesters near Jantar Mantar, a government-designated demonstration site in the capital.
“Allegations of sexual harassment were made by three female journalists against police officers,” Delhi police said in a statement, promising “a fair and impartial enquiry.”
One of the complainants, in a video shared on social media, alleged that a police officer pushed her and touched her “inappropriately.”
CJP activist Saurav Das said on social media that “a delegation with the victim is inside the police station”.
Dipke also demanded that the officer accused in the allegations “must be arrested immediately”.
The protests have also drawn criticism from opposition politicians, who accused the Election Commission of acting in the interests of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.
The opposition said it would march to the Election Commission’s headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday before holding “Save Democracy” rallies across the country.
The CJP has also called for a “massive mobilisation of young Indians” in New Delhi on October 10.
Agency report
