November 1 rally will reflect public anger over Election Commission, says Rahul Gandhi

Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that the “Chalo Dilli” rally at Delhi’s Ramlila ground on November 1 will reflect public anger over the Election Commission of India (ECI) even as the Opposition INDIA bloc’s symbolic impeachment of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar was deferred to Saturday after heavy rains in the Capital.

Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Gandhi said the November 1 march would bring together people from different walks of life and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minster Amit Shah and the CEC of being responsible for what he described as the “demolition of Indian democracy”.

“Now you watch what happens at the Ramlila ground. You watch how many people come and you will understand what is going on in this country. There is a huge anger, huge emotional pain because millions of people are being disenfranchised and their votes are being stolen to help Adani, Ambani, Modi, Shah and Bhagwat,” Gandhi said.

He further claimed that Shah is “trying his best” to stop people from joining the rally.

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“Day after there is a rally at the Ramlila ground. Both programmes are about the demolition of the democracy by Modi, Shah and Gyanesh Kumar and his crew in the election commission. Of course, the home minister is trying his best to stop people from coming to Delhi. Trying to ensure that our party members, and the common people who are trying to come, cannot reach,” he said.

During an “Ask Me” session on Instagram, the Congress leader said the march will begin at noon from the Minto Road-Connaught Place and culminate at the Ramlila Maidan, and urged people to join the rally.

Trinamool Congress’s Derek O’Brien reiterated that the civil society, students and everyone are invited for the rally, saying , “We are in this together, we will win this together.”

BJP Leaders Respond to Gandhi’s Claims

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused Gandhi of spreading anarchy and displaying ignorance of constitutional bodies and institutions.

Also Read | 'See you there': After CJP, AISA's Neha Bora extends support to INDIA bloc's Nov 1 anti-CEC protest at Ramlila Maidan

“Rahul Gandhi is spreading anarchy and displaying ignorance, questioning institutions like the Election Commission, the judiciary, and the military, which protect democracy through constitutional rights. It seems like Rahul Gandhi is not from this country and is coming here from Pakistan and doing politics,” Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav said at a “Loktantra Bachao” rally in Indore.

“The Congress is misleading people about legally established procedures and attempting to create instability by questioning constitutional institutions,” BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said during a separate rally in Chhattisgarh.

‘Symbolic impeachment’ of CEC postponed

Gandhi announced that the public impeachment of CEC Kumar has been postponed to Saturday due to rains, saying that the decision has been taken by consensus, keeping in mind the discomfort senior leaders could face while sitting in the rain. The public impeachment was earlier scheduled on Friday at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence in New Delhi.

Also Read | 'Permission stands even now, with conditions': Delhi Police clarifies after Congress alleges bid to stall Nov 1 protest

On Friday, opposition leaders held discussions at Kharge’s residence over future plans regarding the next rounds of protests. It was decided to meet President Droupadi Murmu to hand over evidence of vote theft, which she had sought from the INDIA bloc delegation on October 9, a leader aware of the developments said.