Chennai, Oct 10 (IANS) DMK leader M.K. Stalin on Saturday demanded the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, withdrawal of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and immediate release of political leaders and activists detained during protests.
In a strongly worded post on X, Stalin accused the BJP-led Union government of suppressing dissent and described the situation as an “undeclared Emergency”. He alleged that those defending democracy were being imprisoned while those undermining it enjoyed government protection.
Stalin said former chief ministers Pinarayi Vijayan, Arvind Kejriwal, Mamata Banerjee and Manik Sarkar, CPI(M) general secretary M.A. Baby and leaders of various student organisations had been detained while campaigning to protect people’s voting rights.
Contrasting their treatment with the security provided to Kumar, Stalin questioned why the Chief Election Commissioner continued to enjoy Z-plus protection. He also alleged that Kumar was facing proceedings relating to sedition, although his post did not provide details of the case.
The DMK leader maintained that the alleged political motives behind the SIR exercise had been exposed and could no longer be concealed. He accused the authorities of using restrictions to prevent opposition parties and young people from voicing their concerns.
Barricades and internet shutdowns in Delhi would not silence the protests, Stalin said, questioning how long the Union government could keep an entire country under siege.
His criticism also extended to the TVK government in Tamil Nadu, which he accused of seeking to please its “masters in Delhi” by acting against protesters opposing the electoral roll revision. Stalin alleged that CPI(M) state secretary Shanmugam and other party workers had been detained for protesting against SIR and demanding Kumar’s resignation.
He described the state government’s conduct as an attempt to demonstrate loyalty to the Union government. Calling for the immediate release of everyone taken into custody, Stalin reiterated that Kumar should be removed from office and the revision exercise abandoned.
He also demanded accountability from those he accused of betraying the people and compromising their democratic rights. The post linked the detentions in Delhi and Tamil Nadu to broader concerns over electoral rights, with Stalin presenting the protests as a campaign to defend democracy.
His central demands were the release of detainees, an end to SIR and action against those responsible for the alleged suppression of dissent across the country.
–IANS
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