Songpi: The District Congress Committee (DCC), Churachandpur on Monday organized a district-level protest demonstration at Red Cross Road, aligning with the nationwide agitation programme announced by the Indian National Congress. The protest focused on the party’s allegations concerning what it terms as “Vote Chori” and concerns related to the preparation and revision of electoral rolls ahead of upcoming elections.
The demonstration was led by Mangkholien Gangte, President of the District Congress Committee, Churachandpur. According to party functionaries present at the site, the protest was organized to highlight demands for a free, fair and transparent electoral process and to seek greater accountability in the functioning of the Election Commission of India.
During the protest, party workers and supporters burnt effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar as a mark of symbolic protest. The act was carried out at the protest venue even as slogans were raised by party cadres calling for electoral reforms and transparency in voter list management.
Several senior leaders of the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) took part in the agitation. Those present included Manga Vaiphei, Working President of MPCC, Chawngbiak, General Secretary of MPCC, Mangchinkhup, PCC Member, and Patrick Onminlal Haokip, Vice President of Youth Congress, Manipur. Office bearers of the DCC, District Youth Congress, Block Presidents, leaders of District Mahila Congress, NSUI and a large number of Congress sympathisers from across the district participated in the programme.
Addressing the gathering, DCC President Mangkholien Gangte said the protest was part of a democratic exercise to raise public awareness on issues related to elections. He stated that the Congress party has been consistently demanding a transparent and verifiable process for voter enrolment and deletion and that the Election Commission should address apprehensions raised by the opposition and civil society. He added that the party will continue to raise these issues through democratic means at the district and state levels.
Working President of MPCC, Manga Vaiphei, who was present at the protest, said the party’s concerns are centred on protecting the integrity of the electoral process. He said that every eligible voter must be ensured the right to vote and that discrepancies in electoral rolls, if any, should be rectified through a transparent mechanism. He urged the Election Commission to take proactive steps to build public confidence in the electoral system.
The protest demonstration witnessed participation from various frontal organisations of the party. Youth Congress workers, Mahila Congress members and NSUI volunteers raised placards and slogans demanding that the Election Commission ensure free and fair elections. The speakers at the protest said that electoral transparency is the foundation of democracy and that all constitutional institutions must function in an impartial and accountable manner.
Party leaders also said that similar protests are being organised across the country as per the call of the All India Congress Committee (AICC). The Churachandpur district programme, according to the DCC, was organised in accordance with that central directive to highlight alleged irregularities in the electoral process and to demand corrective measures before the next round of elections.
Meanwhile, police personnel were present near the protest site at Red Cross Road to monitor the situation and ensure that the demonstration remained peaceful. No untoward incident was reported during the course of the agitation, and the effigy burning was conducted as part of the scheduled programme announced by the district unit. The protest concluded after submission of the party’s demands and with a reaffirmation to continue democratic agitation on the issue.
The District Congress Committee said it will continue to engage with the public on issues related to electoral transparency and will take up further programmes in the coming days as directed by the MPCC and AICC leadership.
