CHENNAI: DMK leader TKS Elangovan on Wednesday defended Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's agitation over the SIR-CEC issue in Delhi and said the government does not want him to agitate, as they want to govern the country according to its wishes and not as per law.

Because of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, "manipulation" of elections has happened, and he must resign, and that is the demand of Rahul Gandhi and other opposition parties, he said.

It is the right of the citizens to agitate in a democracy as the people are the bosses, he told reporters here.

When the government does something wrong, it is the people who have to fight against it, and that is their right as they elected the government, he contended.

Elangovan was answering a question on police in the national capital detaining leaders including Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi over the protest seeking CEC Kumar's resignation.

"So, if the CEC plays a role in favour of the ruling party, that is undemocratic. They should respect the law. That is why Rahul Gandhi was agitating yesterday. But this government does not want him to agitate, because they want to run the country not according to law, but by their wishes. That is the problem," the DMK leader alleged.

"So, they have come to power; it is not with the support of the people, but by manipulating elections. That is what has happened because of Gyanesh Kumar. So, Gyanesh Kumar should resign; that is the demand of Rahul Gandhi, the Congress party, and other parties. They should respect that, and Gyanesh Kumar should resign," the former MP added.