Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Members of the Indian Youth Congress staged a protest outside the office of the Election Commission of India over the rejection of Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan's Rajya Sabha nomination on Wednesday.
The protesters held banners and raised slogans against the decision. One of the banners read, "Loktantra ke samman mein Yuva Congress maidan mein" (Youth Congress is on the ground to protect democracy).
Speaking during the protest, Atif Aqueel questioned the basis of the nomination rejection. He said the nomination was cancelled over a matter linked to an FIR, but claimed that no FIR had actually been registered in the case.
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He expressed hope that the election would take place and alleged that the BJP was nervous because Congress remained united and strong.
"Jin-jin vidhayakon ko bulaya gaya hai, woh jayenge. Humein ummeed hai ki chunav hoga aur BJP isliye ghabra rahi hai kyunki hum majboot hain." (All the MLAs who have been asked to go will do so. We are hopeful that the election will take place, and the BJP is worried because we are strong.)
Aqueel further described the rejection of Natarajan's nomination as an attack on democracy.
"Yeh loktantra ki hatya hai." (This is the murder of democracy.)
Aqueel also said that the issue of a "dummy candidate" had never been part of the election process. Referring to reports that Congress MLAs may be moved together ahead of the Rajya Sabha election, he said all legislators who have been asked to go would do so.
He expressed confidence that the election would take place and alleged that the BJP was nervous because Congress remained united and strong. Aqueel further described the rejection of the nomination as an attack on democracy.
