Left student organisations to join October 10 protest in Delhi

New Delhi: Five Left student organisations will join a protest scheduled at Jantar Mantar here on October 10 to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and revocation of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, according to a joint statement issued on Tuesday.

In the statement, the Students' Federation of India (SFI), All India Students' Federation (AISF), All India Students' Association (AISA), Progressive Students' Union (PSU) and All India Students' Bloc (AISB) said they would participate in the protest in large numbers.

"Thousands, irrespective of their socio-cultural backgrounds and political affiliations, have come together in defence of democratic values on which the imagination of modern India was built," the statement said.


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The student organisations alleged that protests against the Election Commission of India and its functioning were being met with force by Delhi Police.

"Protestors are being manhandled, lathi-charged, dragged, assaulted and groped by Delhi Police. Even journalists are not being spared," they alleged.

The student groups said they were joining forces to build a broader movement and called upon democratic organisations and individuals who uphold constitutional values to participate in the October 10 protest.

The protesters demand the resignation and prosecution of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, revocation of the SIR exercise, and reforms in the Election Commission, they said.

The statement was issued by SFI general secretary Srijan Bhattacharya, AISF general secretary Dinesh Srirangarajan, AISA general secretary Praseenjeet Kumar, PSU general secretary Balaram Sajeev and AISB convenor Amit Singh.