New Delhi, October 12: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday voiced support for Rahul Gandhi amid the INDIA bloc’s protests against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Tharoor shared Gandhi’s message on social media and separately quoted a powerful poem by renowned Hindi poet Ramdhari Singh Dinkar, drawing attention to the ongoing political confrontation.
In a post on X, Tharoor shared a message from Rahul Gandhi that read in Hindi: “Gyanesh Kumar will go. This government will go. Then the repair of democracy will begin.”
The message came as opposition parties stepped up their campaign against the Election Commission, alleging irregularities in the voter-list revision process and demanding accountability from the CEC.
Tharoor quotes Dinkar’s poem
In a separate post, the Thiruvananthapuram MP shared verses from Dinkar’s poem Janatantra Ka Janma, which translates to “The Birth of Democracy”.
The verses call upon those in power to listen to the voice of the people and make way when public anger rises. The poem includes the lines: “Give way, listen to the thunderous sounds of the chariot of time, Abdicate the throne, for the people are coming to claim it.”
By sharing the poem alongside the political developments, Tharoor added a literary dimension to the Opposition’s message on democracy and public accountability.
Rahul Gandhi targets Gyanesh Kumar
Rahul Gandhi has been leading the INDIA bloc’s campaign against Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that the SIR process has raised serious questions about the integrity of electoral rolls.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Rahul urged the CEC to resign and become an approver, suggesting that the responsibility for the alleged irregularities extended beyond the election chief.
“Resign, turn approver; you have made a mistake but you are not the mind behind the mistake,” Rahul said, addressing Kumar.
He also claimed that the CEC would not be able to continue in his position, intensifying his criticism of the Election Commission's handling of the issue.
Dispute over objections within the Election Commission
The Opposition’s demand for the CEC’s resignation follows a report by The Indian Express stating that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections on at least 14 occasions over the preceding 10 months, largely concerning decisions and orders related to the SIR exercise.
The Election Commission, responding to the controversy, maintained that differences of opinion are normal within institutions. It asserted that its orders carry full legal sanction and follow established statutory procedures.
The dispute has become a major political issue, with the INDIA bloc questioning the conduct of the electoral revision exercise and seeking judicial intervention.
Tharoor’s public support for Rahul Gandhi comes as the Opposition continues to press its demands and prepares to take its allegations concerning the CEC and the SIR process before the Supreme Court. The allegations remain contested, and the legal and political implications will depend on further proceedings and responses from the authorities.
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