Lucknow: Samajwadi Party workers staged protests across Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday after party chief Akhilesh Yadav was detained by Delhi Police during an Opposition march demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The protests were reported from several districts, with SP workers raising slogans of “Vote Chor, Istifa Do” and accusing the Election Commission and the BJP government of undermining democracy.
Protests erupt in Gorakhpur
In Gorakhpur, SP workers took to the streets and raised slogans demanding the CEC’s resignation. Police tried to stop the protesters at several places as the demonstrations intensified.
Scuffle breaks out in Lucknow
In Lucknow, the protest led to a confrontation between SP workers and police. A scuffle broke out as police tried to disperse the demonstrators. Visuals from the protest showed police personnel dragging some SP workers on the road.
In Agra, a confrontation broke out when police allegedly tried to snatch an effigy of the CEC from SP workers. A policeman was seen tripping a protester, causing him to fall to the ground, following which he was allegedly slapped and kicked.
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Opposition march in Delhi
The protests in Uttar Pradesh followed the detention of Akhilesh Yadav in Delhi, where 19 Opposition parties had taken out a “Save Democracy” march demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
Yadav, speaking in Delhi, said the issue was about protecting democracy and questioned the conduct of the police during the protest.
“If Gyanesh Kumar is impartial, he should listen to what we are saying. This is about saving democracy. The police should not behave like this with children and protesters,” Yadav said.
