Guwahati: Assam Congress workers on Monday intensified their protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, demanding his resignation over the functioning of the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The main demonstration was held at the Manabendra Sarma Complex in Dispur, where protesters burned effigies of Kumar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Carrying placards and banners, the protesters raised slogans including “Vote chor, gaddi chor” and demanded Kumar’s immediate resignation.
The demonstration was part of the Congress’s nationwide agitation against the Chief Election Commissioner and the poll panel. The party has been demanding Kumar’s resignation amid a political dispute over the functioning of the ECI and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
“This protest is part of the nationwide demonstration by the Congress party and it will continue till the time Gyanesh Kumar resigns from the post of CEC,” said Bedabrata Bora, chairman of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee’s (APCC) media department.
The protesters briefly clashed with security personnel during the demonstration, although no untoward incident was reported from the venue. Security was deployed at the complex and barricades were installed to prevent protesters from moving out of the premises.
Assam Congress president and Lok Sabha Deputy Leader Gaurav Gogoi also accused the Centre and the BJP of shielding Kumar.
In a social media post on Monday, Gogoi alleged that Kumar was being protected by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and what he described as the “BJP-RSS ecosystem” to implement the SIR.
“Gyanesh Kumar is being protected by PM Modi, HM Amit Shah the BJP-RSS ecosystem so that he can continue to implement the SIR. His task is to manage all the state elections from 2025 Bihar, 2026 WB-Assam to 2027 UP and so forth,” the post read.
Similar protests were held in other parts of Assam, including Nalbari, Biswanath and Jorhat, where district Congress committees demonstrated against Kumar and burned effigies.
Monday’s protest was the second Congress demonstration in Assam in three days.
On September 25, Gogoi and several senior party leaders were detained after protesters attempted to cross police barricades during a march from Rajiv Bhawan towards the Chief Electoral Officer’s office in Guwahati.
The Congress launched its nationwide agitation on September 25 following reports concerning differences within the poll panel over aspects of the SIR exercise.
In its September 26 clarification, the ECI said the SIR order covering all states and Union Territories had received unanimous approval.
It also said voters receiving notices over discrepancies would ordinarily not have to appear personally before electoral registration officers, with booth-level officers instead directed to collect documents from their homes.
The political dispute has continued despite the ECI’s clarification, with the Congress rejecting the poll panel’s response and continuing to demand action against Kumar.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, meanwhile, has criticised the Opposition over the controversy, accusing it of attempting to “blackmail” democratic institutions and demanding an apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the party.