New Delhi [India], August 11 : Congress MP Pramod Tiwari on Monday slammed the Election Commission of India (ECI) and compared the INDIA bloc's protest march to Mahatma Gandhi's Dandi march.
Tiwari told ANI, "Rahul Gandhi is walking on Gandhi ji's path. He held a press conference, but the Election Commission is not ready to consider it; instead, it is asking for an affidavit. Everyone knows the Election Commission is under whose pressure. Like Gandhi did, the Dandi march for independence, we are marching to save democracy."
He added that the aim of the Opposition's protest is to be heard by the ECI.
"We will march from the Makar Dwar of the Parliament to the Election Commission's office and will demand to be heard. We want the EC not to become a co-accused with the BJP in murdering democracy," the Congress MP said.
As the ECI granted an appointment to Congress MP Jairam Ramesh for an interaction at 12:00 noon today, Pramod Tiwari said that the party will "think about it".
"People should see what is happening. The EC does not accept letters, does not answer phone calls, and does not give us time. Let the invitation come, and we will think about it. EC has been exposed as Rahul Gandhi gave the numbers. Deputy CM (in Bihar) is also stuck with having two EPIC cards. Election Commission is being strangled," he said.
The Opposition MPs will to march from Makar Dwar in Parliament to the Election Commission office at Nirvachan Sadan on Monday. The march will begin at 11:30 AM and proceed via Transport Bhawan.
Meanwhile, following Mohan Bhagwat's "commercialisation" remarks, Pramod Tiwari asked the BJP to apologise for expensive education and healthcare in the country.
The Congress MP said, "Education and healthcare are going further from the common man's reach. The poor are unable to get treatment. Education is getting costlier. Now that their parent organisation's chief said so in Indore, if some shame is left in Bharatiya Janata Party, they should apologise to the nation."