Daijiworld Media Network - Patna
Patna, Oct 12: Union minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan on Sunday accused the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) of attempting to create anarchy through its protests in Delhi over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. He credited the Centre with bringing the situation under control and ruled out the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
“Protests are legitimate when people peacefully express their views. However, when anti-social elements use agitations as a pretext to pursue their own agenda, they need to be identified. I believe yesterday’s protest was intended to promote anarchy. In such a situation, the Centre appropriately brought the situation under control,” Paswan said in Patna.
Union minister Ramdas Athawale also ruled out the CEC's resignation while speaking to reporters in Srinagar. He warned that those protesting in Delhi could face imprisonment.
“Whatever agitation you do, CEC Gyanesh Kumar will not resign,” Athawale said, defending the Election Commission against allegations that voters had been removed from electoral rolls to benefit the ruling party.
Paswan criticised the Congress for staging demonstrations, alleging that the protests had inconvenienced Delhi residents. He also accused the party of remaining silent over allegations of sexual assault against a Jawaharlal Nehru University professor who is a Congress MP.
Accusing CJP leaders of attempting to lead young people towards anarchy, Paswan said they needed to be identified and stopped immediately.
His remarks marked a shift from his position on Friday, when he questioned the unprecedented security restrictions imposed ahead of the CJP's proposed protest, asserting that “nothing can stop” the youth.
Athawale claimed that around 13 crore voter names had been deleted across the country for various reasons, arguing that the exercise had not targeted opposition supporters alone.
“Even our voters were deleted,” he said, accusing Rahul Gandhi and opposition parties of attempting to corner the government and create trouble for the public.