High tea after street heat: What happened at INDIA bloc meet at Rahul Gandhi's residence

NEW DELHI: INDIA bloc leaders gathered at Rahul Gandhi's residence on Tuesday for high tea amid their ongoing protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged vote theft. They met for a high tea after four days of protest and filing a petition in SC against the CEC.From directly slamming the CEC to criticising the SIR process and criticising PM Modi and Amit Shah, several leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Supriya Sule, Tejashwi Yadav, Sanjay Raut addressed a press conference after the meet vowing to continue their protests while giving insights into what they decided at the meeting.Here's what some of the key leaders saidRahul Gandhi (Congress)Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi anonunced that the INDIA bloc would continue its fight to restore the democratic process and ensure accountability for those he accused of undermining it. "We are all standing here together as one. As I said yesterday, there are no parallel protests. There is one singular protest, and the protest has one mission: restoration of democracy in India. Democracy has been destroyed in this country. The election system has been destroyed. The Constitution has been torn up and thrown away. We are fighting together to restore democratic rule, genuine democratic rule in this country."He thanked people who supported the protest and vowed to bring those responsible to justice. "It is our commitment to you that the people who have done this, Mr. Modi, Mr. Shah, Mr. Gyanesh Kumar, the lady who's hiding right now in Dehradun, and others are going to be brought to justice.""Yesterday, you saw an expression not of the political party standing here, but an expression of the people of India...We would like to thank the people of Delhi, the people of India, who stood with us against what is being done. This is not about us. This is about the people of India. This is about the future of the people of India, and we, all of us together, because we love you and we respect you, are going to fight to the end to restore the democratic process in this country. It is our commitment to you that the people who have done this, Mr. Modi, Mr. Shah, Mr. Gyanesh Kumar, the lady who's hiding right now in Dehradun, and others are going to be brought to justice," he added.Further assuring the work of the team, the Congress leader said, "I used the word 'perseverance' at the press conference yesterday—that this team of ours is not going to stop. Sooner or later—whether tomorrow, the day after, in three months, six months, a year, or two years—it will not stop. It will reach the end goal. I cannot tell you exactly how we will get there, because that would spoil the surprise, and we want to maintain the excitement and sense of surprise for you and the country. But I guarantee you that just as we mobilized—with such energy, strength, and unity—we will continue to fight together in the same spirit. Thank you to the Supreme Court—we have immense respect for the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice of India, and the Indian judicial system; they have a role to play, and we hope they will play it. However, we are political people; no matter what happens, or which institution plays a role or doesn't, political resistance will continue, people's resistance will continue, and it will triumph."Mallikarjun Kharge (Congress president)The Congress president hailed INDIA bloc protests against "vote chori", CEC as "massive success". "We will carry forward this united fight (protests) against Modi govt, "vote chori", he said.D Raja (CPI general secretary)Giving highlights of what they decided in the meeting, he said, "We held a meeting with senior leaders of the INDIA bloc, where we discussed the current situation in the country and how to take forward the campaign demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar."Further slamming the decision to de ntoify Jantar Mantar as a protest site, he added, "The government has now denotified Jantar Mantar. We strongly condemn this decision. Jantar Mantar must remain a place where people can protest."MA Baby (CPM)"Gyanesh Kumar has joined the ruling party's team... He steals votes, protest site and democracy," said CPI(M) leader M A Baby after the INDIA bloc meeting .Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena UBT"(CEC) Gyanesh Kumar is a "mafia" who has criminalised entire system; we know how to fight such mafia," he said. Further talking about the meeting, he added, "Rahul ji had convened it and invited everyone—leaders and MPs were present for the high tea—and it was a very good meeting. Discussions were held, and everyone's suggestions regarding the way forward and their respective views were taken into account; however, the ongoing struggle against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, Modi ji, and Shah ji will continue—both in the national capital and elsewhere."Sagarika Ghose (TMC)She accused the Election Commission of undermining free and fair elections. She demanded a halt to the SIR process, restoration of previous electoral rolls, Kumar’s removal and criminal proceedings against officials allegedly involved in electoral irregularities."Every day, it is becoming increasingly clear that the Gyanesh Kumar-led Election Commission is undermining free and fair elections in India. As long as the Gyanesh Kumar-led Election Commission continues to function, there will be no free and fair elections in India. We stand completely united with all the leaders and parties of the INDIA alliance. We will not stop until Mr Gyanesh Kumar is removed and criminal proceedings are initiated not only against him but also against all Election Commission officials who supervised elections in Haryana, Maharashtra, Bengal and Bihar, because these have been elections marked by vote chori," she said."The government currently in power in Bengal is illegitimate. It came to power through vote chori...We have a set of demands: halt the SIR process, stop it and revert to the old electoral rolls. Gyanesh Kumar must be dismissed, and criminal proceedings must be initiated against him. All officials, who have been involved in vote chori, must be investigated, and criminal proceedings must be initiated against them. We will not rest until this Election Commission is held accountable," she added.Supriya Sule (NCP SP)Sule expressed solidarity against the CEC and stated that their agitation will continue. "We stand united with full strength as part of the INDIA alliance; our struggle will continue because the Constitution has been undermined and is currently in danger in this country. We will persist with our agitation to uphold the rights granted to all Indians in the Constitution by Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar. A single individual—representing a single government—is making a grave mistake by attempting to trample upon these rights. We stand united with full strength to fight against this injustice and oppression; our movement will continue, from Delhi down to the grassroots level," she said.Tejashwi Yadav (RJD)Taking aim at the govt said, "Govt's vote chori exposed before people. We are all together and will win." Criticising the move to remove Jantar Mantar as a protest site, he added, "Govt's fear is evident in denotification of Jantar Mantar as protest site."AISA President Neha BoraShe directly took at aim at the BJP and said, "The one enemy of the people of this country, of Indian democracy, and of the Constitution is the BJP.An attack on voter rights is an attack on India and an attack on democracy.CEC Gyanesh Kumar must go.The SIR process is compromised."Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.