Congress intensifies nationwide protest; demonstrations held across J&K

Following the protests led by the Congress in the national capital, the party's agitation has now spread to Jammu and Kashmir, with Congress leaders and workers taking to the streets across several districts of the Union Territory. The protests are part of the party's nationwide campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, with Congress accusing him of compromising the electoral process and demanding his removal.

The Congress had planned a major protest in the Kashmir Valley, with party workers and leaders intending to march towards Lal Chowk and stage a sit-in to press their demands. However, heavy deployments of Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF personnel were positioned outside the party office, preventing the protesters from leaving the premises.

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Multi-layered barricades were erected at the gates of the Congress headquarters, while security personnel maintained a tight cordon around the building. The measures effectively confined party workers and leaders inside the premises and prevented the planned street demonstration from taking place.

The protest was part of the Congress's nationwide campaign demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The party has accused Kumar of facilitating what it calls "vote theft" and has alleged that decisions taken by the Election Commission compromised the fairness of the electoral process and benefited the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Congress leaders have particularly criticised the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging that the exercise could affect the integrity of the electoral process. The party has maintained that its allegations amount to a serious threat to democratic institutions and has vowed to continue its campaign until Kumar is removed from office.

At the Srinagar headquarters, Congress workers raised slogans against the Election Commission, the BJP-led central government and Gyanesh Kumar. Leaders also expressed strong resentment over what they described as the alleged mistreatment of Rahul Gandhi during the protest in the national capital.

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Congress leaders alleged that the heavy security deployment in Srinagar was an attempt to suppress legitimate political dissent. They accused the administration of restricting their constitutional right to protest and claimed that the security arrangements were intended to prevent the party from taking its campaign to the streets.

The security presence extended beyond the Congress headquarters, with police and paramilitary personnel deployed in and around the M.A. Road and Lal Chowk areas. Mobile units were also stationed nearby to prevent the protest from spilling onto the main roads.

Congress leaders said the agitation would continue across Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country until their demand for the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner is addressed. Meanwhile, Congress MLA and supporters also protested in North Kashmir's Baramulla district.