Indian opposition parties to launch protests over alleged manipulation of voter lists

NEW DELHI, Sept 30 - An alliance of India's opposition parties said on Wednesday it would launch protests to "save democracy" after a newspaper report said the Election Commission pushed large-scale voter list changes despite two commissioners questioning the process.• Opposition parties say the lists were manipulated to benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party.• The Election Commission of India rejects the charges and says differences are normal in any institution and all its actions were lawful.• The planned protests, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, include a march to the Election Commission office on October 6, a rally in New Delhi on November 1, and a representation to the president, the main opposition Congress party said.• The decisions were taken at a meeting of the INDIA alliance, which includes some two dozen opposition parties, of which 20 attended Wednesday's meeting.• "We are going to ensure that the people who have destroyed Indian democracy are punished," Congress leader Rahul Gandhi told reporters after the meeting.• The "cockroach" youth movement, whose protests led to the education minister's resignation in July, has also demanded Kumar's resignation, and is set to launch a protest on Friday. REUTERS