The Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee observed a ‘Black Day’ on Thursday, October 8, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and alleging that democratic rights were being undermined in the country.
Congress leaders and workers staged a protest march in Agartala wearing black clothes and badges. The demonstration was led by Pradesh Congress Committee president Ashish Kumar Saha and senior party leader and MLA Sudip Roy Barman.
Addressing the gathering, Roy Barman said the protest was organised in response to alleged police action against Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Mallikarjun Kharge and other INDIA bloc MPs and senior leaders during a protest on Wednesday.
“We have taken to the streets today against the inhuman atrocities and police brutality that we witnessed yesterday,” Roy Barman said, alleging that the protesters were being prevented from exercising their democratic rights.
He called for the immediate resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and said the Congress would continue its campaign to “restore democracy”.
Protests held across Tripura
Roy Barman claimed that similar ‘Black Day’ programmes were organised in several districts of Tripura, with Congress workers holding marches and demonstrations under the leadership of the Pradesh Congress Committee.
Explaining the use of black clothes and badges, he said the party was observing the day as a mark of protest over what it described as restrictions on the democratic right to protest.
“This is a democratic country,” Roy Barman said, alleging that the use of police action to prevent people from protesting was unacceptable.
He also appealed to people to join the Congress-led campaign, which the party said was aimed at protecting democratic rights.
The Congress said INDIA bloc MPs would approach the Election Commission with a set of demands and announced that a delegation from the Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee would also meet the poll panel.
Party leaders indicated that the protest movement could be expanded to other parts of the country in the coming days.