ROHTAK: Women, university students and elderly citizens from Haryana have joined demonstrations in New Delhi demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and an investigation into alleged electoral irregularities.Several protesters have accused the police of misconduct, use of physical force and denial of basic facilities during detention. BJP leader and Sonipat Municipal Corporation Mayor Rajiv Jain, however, has defended the police action, saying the police will do their job if anyone violates the law.Madhu, 24, a student at Kurukshetra University from Jind, travelled to Delhi with her friends, including a student from Maharshi Dayanand University in Rohtak. She said they stayed at A.K. Gopalan Bhawan from October 9 to 11.Madhu alleged that around 400 Delhi Police and paramilitary personnel were deployed outside the building and that she and others were detained when they came outside. She claimed that the place where they were taken lacked drinking water and toilet facilities.She further alleged that women protesters were dragged by their hair and forcibly put into vehicles. According to Madhu, male police personnel misbehaved with female students, while women personnel were allegedly prevented from intervening. She also accused certain individuals whom she identified as being associated with BJP- and RSS-linked organisations of assaulting protesters.Madhu said young people wanted accountability on issues concerning education, employment and democratic institutions. She also supported demands for the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.Suman Lauchhab, from Bhupania village in Jhajjar district, travelled to Delhi with her friends Jyoti, Sheela, Santosh, Reena and Sudesh. She alleged that calls were made to her family asking whether she intended to join the protest, making her fear that she might be prevented from travelling.Suman said the demand for the Chief Election Commissioner’s resignation was justified and called for an impartial investigation into alleged electoral irregularities. She alleged that women protesters were dragged by their hair and legs and assaulted.Sangeeta Sehawat of Rohtak also alleged that women were forcibly put into buses and taken away from the protest site. She said protesters wanted to raise their demands peacefully but faced the use of force.Mukhtari Jakhar, 83, the wife of the late freedom fighter Ram Singh Jakhar, expressed concern over the allegations. She said peaceful protest was a democratic right and called for an impartial investigation into alleged electoral irregularities.Former serviceman Vedpal Rathi, 85, said he had personally witnessed police action against demonstrators and expressed concern over their treatment.Sunaina Chautala, state in-charge of the INLD women’s wing, condemned the alleged mistreatment of female students and protesters. She called for women’s safety and dignity to be protected, their complaints to be taken seriously and responsibility to be fixed for any misconduct.The Haryana state committee of the All India Democratic Women’s Association, led by president Savita and general secretary Usha Saroha, condemned the alleged assaults and detentions on October 10 and 11. The organisation claimed that female SFI activists detained during a flag march in Connaught Place were assaulted by male police personnel, with several reportedly injured. It also alleged that detained women were taken away in a bus without female police personnel and that their mobile phones were taken away. The committee demanded an independent inquiry and action against those responsible.Inderjit Singh, national vice-president of the All India Kisan Sabha,
