Gandhi's Great-Grandson Vows Long Fight to Defend Democracy

Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, has said that a series of protests will be needed to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and to safeguard democracy. He described the struggle as a long one that would unfold in stages.

Speaking in Mumbai, he announced a Tiranga Samvidhan Padyatra that will move from the Corporation Office to Mantralaya. Gandhi said the walk was modelled on the individual satyagraha that Bapu had called for during the freedom movement, and that it was also planned in support of a Delhi rally.

The proposed route begins at the Firoz Shah Mehta statue outside the Corporation Office and proceeds to the Regal Cinema circle. Along the way, participants would pay homage at several historic statues before reaching the Babasaheb statue. The final stop would be near Mantralaya, at the statues of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi.

Gandhi said he had initially planned to undertake the satyagraha alone, but that others had since said they would join. He added that people were arriving voluntarily to show their support.

Police, however, have said the area is restricted and that the padyatra will not be allowed. Gandhi responded that the day was a holiday, with no offices, courts or government departments functioning, and that the march would not trouble anyone. He said the group would carry out its protest in its own way and then leave.

He later said the police had become more rigid and had indicated that protesters would not be allowed to move past Azad Maidan. Gandhi said that citizens can challenge power, and that the government's response would reveal its position.

On the electoral process, Gandhi questioned whether the outcome could be predetermined. He argued that if results are decided before voting, the system itself must be challenged. In his view, that problem would persist whether elections are held on ballot papers or on EVMs.

He also cited recent results in Maharashtra, where senior leaders lost seats they had held for years, saying this showed the direction of public opinion.

Gandhi accused the government of trying to discredit protest movements and of being more focused on retaining power than on the concerns of citizens. He pointed to Connaught Place, saying shops had been shut by force and carts removed, which he said showed the government's priorities.