His remarks come amid escalating political tensions in the national capital, where the CJP and several Opposition parties have been protesting against the Election Commission’s handling of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The CJP convenor reached his native village, Santuk Pimpri, in Maharashtra’s Hingoli district, late on Sunday night. He subsequently visited the site where his grandmother’s final rites had been performed.
His return to the village came after his detention in Delhi ahead of the Opposition-backed protest at Jantar Mantar on Saturday.
Dipke, along with CJP leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, was placed under preventive arrest at Delhi airport ahead of the demonstration. The arrests came as political leaders and activists prepared to intensify their agitation over alleged irregularities in the electoral roll revision process.
The three leaders were released on Sunday on the condition that they would not โbreach peaceโ for a period of one year, according to the account provided.
The detention and subsequent release have added to the political controversy surrounding the protests, with Dipke alleging excessive use of force against demonstrators and other individuals in the capital.
The CJP and other Opposition parties have been demanding the resignation of chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of voter lists.
The SIR exercise has emerged as a major point of contention between the Opposition and the Election Commission, with political parties raising concerns about the electoral roll revision process and demanding greater accountability and transparency.
The protests have also drawn attention to the treatment of demonstrators and political leaders by law enforcement agencies in Delhi.
Dipke’s latest remarks intensify the criticism directed at the Centre over its handling of the dispute. By questioning the government’s support for Kumar, the CJP convenor has framed the controversy as a broader issue involving democratic rights, the conduct of the police and the independence of electoral institutions.
The allegations made by Dipke remain his claims, while the central dispute continues to revolve around the Opposition’s objections to the electoral roll revision exercise and its demand for Kumar’s resignation.
With Opposition parties continuing to press for accountability, the controversy over the SIR process and the role of the Election Commission remains a significant source of political tension.
With PTI inputs
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