Rahul Gandhi demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar during a press conference on Wednesday, citing police assaults on protestors that took place on October 11.
The protests erupted in Uttar Pradesh when a group of 30–40 NSUI activists were detained in police buses. A YouTuber, Ramit Verma, was among those arrested; he said police beat him, snatched his phone, and forced it to be formatted, claiming at least 15 women were present.
An NSUI worker, whom Gandhi described as a ‘tiger’, recounted being struck by Constable Chanchal Yadav. She said the constable grabbed her neck, slammed her against the bus seat, scratched her face, and slapped her with a force that left visible marks.
During the conference, Gandhi introduced Verma, who played the song ‘Vaishnav Kan To Tene Kahiye’ on a flute, framing the act as a symbolic ‘stick‑against‑stick’ response to the alleged ‘danda’ treatment.
Gandhi announced he would file a formal complaint with the Election Commission, demanding a probe into the conduct of the police and the Chief Election Commissioner.