Congress observes 'Black Day' in Brahmapuri, protests Centre and Election Commission at Shivaji Maharaj Chowk

The Congress held a protest at Shivaji Maharaj Chowk in Brahmapuri city on October 8. The All India Congress Committee had appealed for the day to be observed as a 'Black Day', and office-bearers and workers of the Brahmapuri taluka and city Congress registered their protest in response.

Slogans were raised during the protest against the Central government's policies and the Election Commission's way of functioning. The Congress has alleged that Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and MPs of the INDIA bloc were stopped. The protest was held against this incident.

The Congress says that MPs of the INDIA bloc, led by party national president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, were peacefully going to demand accountability from the Election Commission when they were stopped. The party has alleged that the police misbehaved with Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and other MPs of the alliance, lathi-charged them, and that some leaders were injured.

The Congress has also taken the position that this action against the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and elected representatives of the people is an attack on the Constitution. In protest, the party had appealed for October 8 to be observed as a 'Black Day' for Indian democracy.

The party has demanded that accountability be fixed for the Election Commission's functioning. It has also demanded the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar from his post. The party's position is that the fight will continue until Gyanesh Kumar is removed and the fairness of the electoral system is fully restored.

Office-bearers of the taluka and city Congress, frontal organisations, cells, the municipal council and village Congress committees were present on the occasion. Congress workers also turned up in large numbers.