Bengaluru: Spurred by their personal experiences with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Mohsin Khan, Rajesh Mohan Gowda and Barkath Syed travelled to Delhi to join the anti-SIR protest on Oct 10. Their journey was marked by alleged surveillance aboard a train, a last-minute switch to air travel and repeated detentions. Despite the hurdles they faced in reaching Jantar Mantar, the three remain in the national capital, demanding an independent probe into the functioning of the Election Commission and the restoration of electoral rolls as they existed before Jan 2025.—–Mohsin Khan: A Mom’s Struggle Sparks A Journey
Mohsin
The 21-year-old Kalasipalya resident said his mother had to travel to her native village to get her name enrolled during the SIR, despite having voted in previous elections. The experience left him frustrated and prompted him to join the anti-SIR mobilisation led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).“I was very clear that we should be in Delhi. At a time when my mother was unwell, she had to travel to her native village on the very day she was required to do so to ensure her name was not deleted from the electoral rolls. They asked for several details even though she had always voted,” he said.The journey to Delhi was far from straightforward. Mohsin and his friends alleged that security personnel questioned passengers and photographed them aboard the Karnataka Express while the train was in Maharashtra. Fearing they were being tracked, the three abandoned their train journey, travelled by bus to Mumbai and flew to Delhi.Even after reaching the capital, they were detained and dropped near Okhla, about 20 km from where they had been picked up, Mohsin said. He added that staying in touch with their families remained difficult because of internet disruptions and what they described as surveillance.—- From Train To Plane, Then Detention
Rajesh
Rajesh Mohan Gowda, 26, said the journey began without incident but took a turn at Daund Junction, where security personnel in uniform and plain clothes approached their coach.“They started asking our names, took our pictures without permission and asked us where we were going,” he said.The group said similar checks continued at subsequent stations. By the time they reached Jalgaon, they had decided to get off the train. An Instagram influencer offered to book them flight tickets to Delhi, Rajesh said. The three switched off their phones, travelled by bus to Mumbai and flew to the national capital.Their plans unravelled soon after they arrived. While travelling in an autorickshaw near Bangla Sahib Road, Rajesh said he photographed a police bus. Personnel allegedly chased the autorickshaw and detained all three.They were driven around for about an hour before being released near the Okhla landfill, he said. Their luggage was left behind in the autorickshaw, but they later recovered it through the ride-hailing aggregator.Recently laid off from his job, Rajesh said he wanted the Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, and the Election Commission of India (ECI) to be held accountable.“If something has gone wrong, why cannot the Modi govt just probe or make an SIT to address the whole situation?” he asked.—–
BARKHAT
Detained Again, Still DeterminedFor Barkath Syed, 22, the issue became personal after a relative received a notice following the SIR enumeration, he said. The three had travelled to Delhi to join the Oct 10 protest, but heavy police deployment prevented them from reaching Jantar Mantar.The detentions continued. Mohsin said Barkath was picked up again on Sunday, Oct 11, while attempting to protest. He alleged that Barkath was taken towards the Delhi-Haryana border, about 40-45 km away, and that personnel attempted to snatch his phone.Barkath remained in custody until late that night and rejoined the group around 11.30pm, Mohsin said.On Monday, the three joined CJP leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das and approached the Parliament Street police station to seek permission to protest at Jantar Mantar.Barkath called for an independent committee to investigate the SIR process and restore the electoral rolls that existed before Jan 2025 until the issues were resolved.The three said they would remain in Delhi in solidarity with the CJP and opposition parties, returning to Bengaluru only after Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar resigns.
