NEW DELHI : India’s opposition INDIA bloc is set to hold a major protest rally at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi on Sunday, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of electoral irregularities.
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has urged rally participants to support local traders by shopping during the festive season. He summed up his appeal with the slogan: “Protest, march and shop.”
The opposition’s ‘Chalo Delhi’ march will begin at noon local time from the Minto Road–Connaught Place junction. Participants will proceed to Ramlila Maidan, where a larger rally is scheduled.
The rally comes a day after opposition parties held a symbolic ‘public impeachment’ proceeding against Kumar at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday. More than 250 opposition MPs reportedly attended the three-and-a-half-hour event.
The INDIA bloc expects around one million people to participate in the rally from across the country. Delhi Police, however, has prepared its security arrangements for approximately 50,000 people, taking into account the capacity of Ramlila Maidan. Police have said that if attendance exceeds the venue’s capacity, additional participants will be stopped on surrounding roads.
Delhi Traffic Police has also issued an advisory announcing diversions and restrictions across parts of central Delhi from 10 am to 5 pm. Ten diversion points have been identified, including Netaji Subhash Marg T-point, Rajghat, Delhi Gate and ITO A-point.
Opposition’s symbolic ‘public impeachment’ of election chief
On Saturday, 19 opposition parties held a symbolic parliamentary-style proceeding against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at Kharge’s residence on Rajaji Marg.
The event was organised after opposition parties failed to secure the required permission to hold the programme at other venues. Former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar presided over the proceedings, which were attended by opposition leaders and lawmakers.
In his closing remarks, Rahul Gandhi said opposition leaders had gathered in Kharge’s garden because they had no other venue available.
Warning the Chief Election Commissioner, Gandhi accused him of taking the electoral process beyond legal limits and alleged electoral manipulation. “You have taken this game outside the legal framework and towards electoral fraud. Now you are in our sights,” he said.
Opposition parties have repeatedly objected to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in various states, alleging ‘vote theft’ and the exclusion of eligible voters.
The latest controversy intensified following a report published by The Indian Express last month. The report said election commissioners had expressed disagreement with decisions made by the Chief Election Commissioner on 14 occasions over a period of 10 months.
The Election Commission has maintained that its decisions were unanimous. Opposition parties, however, have cited the report to reinforce their allegations against the poll body.
Student organisations, INDIA bloc parties and the Cockroach Janta Party have also announced protest programmes over the issue.
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