Patna: RJD national working president Tejashwi Prasad Yadav on Sunday appealed to people to join the INDIA bloc ’s protest against what he alleged was an attempt by the BJP-led govt at the Centre to undermine democracy and the Constitution.




Tejashwi was speaking to reporters before leaving for Delhi to participate in a proposed march by INDIA bloc functionaries to Supreme Court on Monday. The opposition functionaries plan to submit a memorandum raising issues including alleged “vote theft”, Election Commission ’s special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and their demand for the resignation of chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar .




Asked whether the INDIA bloc functionaries could be arrested by Delhi Police during the march, Tejashwi said, “What all they will do, we don’t know.”




He said it was the duty of citizens to protect democracy and the Constitution, adding that people had the constitutional right to protest. “We will make all the sacrifices required to save democracy and the Constitution. We are citizens of the country and we have all the constitutionally given rights to protest. Why can’t we go to Delhi and protest against what is being done?” he asked.




Alleging that “invisible forces” were at work, Tejashwi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and Delhi Police of acting to protect the CEC.




Referring to protests by young people, some Supreme Court lawyers and other citizens in Delhi on Saturday, he alleged that protesters, including women, had been beaten and manhandled by people he described as “RSS goondas”, with the alleged acts taking place in the presence of Delhi Police. He said the incidents had been witnessed by people across the country and abroad.