CONGRESS PROTESTED AGAINST EC

CONGRESS PROTESTED AGAINST EC

28-SEP-ENG 3

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

PATNA--------------------------Congress workers staged a protest in Patna on Friday against the functioning of the Election Commission and the SIR (Systematic Information Retrieval/Systematic Information Reporting). Several senior party leaders, including MP Pappu Yadav, participated in the march. During the protest, workers attempted to breach police barricades, prompting the police to use water cannons to control the crowd.

Congress workers staged a vigorous protest in Patna on Friday against the Election Commission's functioning and the SIR. Many senior Congress leaders, including MP Pappu Yadav, and a large number of party workers participated in the protest march. The situation became tense when some workers attempted to breach the police barricades.

A heated exchange ensued between the police and the protesters following the attempt to break the barricades. The police used water cannons to control the situation and disperse the crowd. MP Pappu Yadav led the protest.

The Congress party had called for protest marches outside the offices of Chief Electoral Officers in various states. As part of this initiative, the Bihar Congress organized a protest march in Patna.

Congress workers gathered near the Chanakya Hotel at R-Block and commenced their march from there. The party's plan was to reach the office of the state's Chief Electoral Officer. Participants carried banners and posters bearing slogans against the Election Commission and the SIR.

The Congress workers were stopped near the Legislative Assembly during the march. Tensions subsequently escalated between the protesters and the police. Police used water cannons outside the Secretariat police station to bring the protesters under control. Banners bearing slogans such as "Vote thief, quit the Election Commission" were seen in the hands of protesters. The Congress demands an independent review of the changes made to the electoral process and the voter list.

The Congress had announced a nationwide program to march to the offices of Chief Electoral Officers on September 25. Following this, district Congress committees plan to hold marches to district collectorates on September 28.

The situation remained tense for a while following a scuffle between the police and Congress workers during the protest in Patna. The police used water cannons to stop protesters who were attempting to move past the barricades.