Patna, Sep 28 (PTI) Workers of the CPI and several other affiliated outfits clashed with police here on Monday during their march to the Lok Bhavan over demands for CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, cancellation of SIR and revocation of the Waqf Amendment Act.
The protesters breached barricades put up to stop their march at Dak Bungalow Crossing, following which police used water cannons to disperse the crowd, they said.
Police claimed some anti-social elements were among the protesters and indulged in stone-pelting, leaving a few people injured.
Several protesters were also taken away from the protest site in a police vehicle, officials said.
Besides the CPI, members of its affiliated outfits All India Students’ Federation (AISF), All India Youth Federation (AIYF), Bihar Mahila Samaj, Bihar State Kisan Sabha, Bharatiya Khet Mazdoor Union, All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) and Tanzim-e-Insaf took part in the demonstration.
The protesters later submitted a memorandum, listing their demands, to Governor Syed Ata Hasnain, according to a statement issued by the Communist Party of India (CPI).
The agitators demanded Kumar’s resignation, cancellation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the repeal of the Waqf Amendment Act.
Meanwhile, Congress workers also protested at Kadam Kuan and burnt effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Kumar near Dinkar Golambar here.
Some Congress workers also held a demonstration near Patna’s R Block area, from where they marched to the Election Commission office in the city and threw ink on the gates of the premises.
The protestors demanded an impartial investigation into allegations of ‘vote theft’ and alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and sought the arrest of Kumar.
They also sought an impartial, high-level investigation into the changes made to the electoral rolls.
Senior BJP leaders hit out at the Congress for targeting the poll panel and questioning the SIR process.
“It has been the history of Congress to strike at the dignity of Constitutional institutions. While the entire world looks up to EC for its electoral success, the Congress’ allegations on the poll body reflect that the party is running out of issues,” BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy told reporters.
He said “challenging the Constitution” would prove costly for the Congress.
BJP MP Ravishankar Prasad said it was the Congress’ tendency to cry foul on SIR after its defeat in elections.
“The opposition parties, including the Congress, challenged the SIR and faced defeat in states including Bihar and West Bengal. Even the Supreme Court upheld the validity of the SIR. My advice to the Congress leaders is to go among people and take their blessings, rather than doing empty talks,” he said.
The CPI protesters, in their memorandum, demanded the reinstatement of MGNREGA with 200 days of guaranteed work and minimum wages, enactment of a comprehensive central law for agricultural labourers, passage of a ‘Shahid-e-Azam Bhagat Singh National Employment Guarantee Act’, withdrawal of the new labour codes, and a halt to the privatisation of public sector enterprises.
To support farmers and the rural economy, the memorandum sought a legal guarantee for procurement of crops at Minimum Support Prices (MSP) based on the “C2+50 per cent formula”, implementation of a crop insurance scheme through the Agricultural Insurance Company of India, agricultural loan waivers and cancellation of the India-US trade agreement.
Patna Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kartikeya Sharma told reporters, “Protesters came in large numbers, and there were some anti-social elements as well who tried to exploit the situation.” PTI SUK ACD MNB
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