Indian opposition parties stage new protest against the elections chief

India’s opposition parties renewed calls for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar as they staged fresh protests against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. The demonstrations, led by the INDIA alliance and supported by Congress, drew tens of thousands to New Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, with protesters waving flags, beating drums, and chanting against central policies. The protest follows a police crackdown in the capital weeks earlier and mobilized party cadres from multiple states. Rahul Gandhi, president of Congress, led the rally and was joined by supporters of the youth movement known as the Cockroach Janta Party, who say they are defending democracy while challenging the integrity of the electoral process. The demonstrators demanded Kumar’s resignation over a controversial voter-roll revision, which authorities say aims to remove duplicates and ineligible entries. Critics allege the revision disenfranchises millions, a claim contested by the Election Commission; they say minorities, particularly Muslims, may be disproportionately affected. Human Rights Watch urged suspending the revision, citing concerns about the fairness of future elections. Modi’s administration and Bharatiya Janata Party leaders have rejected the charges, with some labeling protesters as anarchists or alleging foreign influence. The protests echo earlier momentum that culminated in the July resignation of Modi’s education minister, a setback for the ruling party.