New Delhi [India], October 24 (ANI): Ahead of the November 1 ‘Dilli Chalo’ march at Ramlila Maidan, the INDIA bloc will conduct a symbolic “Public Impeachment” proceeding against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on October 30, where a public verdict to remove him will be delivered loud and clear.
The ongoing anti-Special Intensive Revision (SIR) agitation seeks the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the exercise.
In a post on X, Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal announced that party president Mallikarjun Kharge has reached out to top leaders across all constituent parties of the INDIA bloc, urging them to mobilise their cadre and maintain a strong presence in the national capital throughout the high-decibel protest period.
“In our effort to save the Constitution and defeat the Vote Chors, the INDIA bloc will be holding a crucial Public Impeachment proceeding on 30th October, where the public’s verdict to remove the Vote Chor CEC Gyanesh Kumar will be delivered loud and clear. After this Public Impeachment, we will hold a Dilli Chalo March against Vote Chori culminating at Ramleela Maidan on November 1st, where at least a million concerned citizens will participate. INC President Mallikarjun @kharge ji has reached out to all INDIA Bloc parties, requesting that their leaders and members present in Delhi during this period be present in full force,” he said.
https://x.com/kcvenugopalmp/status/2114013524234227885
Meanwhile, the preparations for the upcoming INDIA bloc mega rally on November 1 are in full swing.
KC Venugopal reviewed the preparations for the mega rally at Indira Bhavan, holding detailed discussions with chairpersons and in-charges of various party frontals and departments to ramp up mobilisation efforts.
“We continued our meetings to take stock of preparations for the INDIA Bloc Mega Rally against Vote Chori on November 1st, as we met with Chairpersons and In-charges of various frontals and departments at Indira Bhavan today,” Venugopal posted on X.
The review follows the prior strategy sessions led by Venugopal and General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra with party leaders from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana at the AICC headquarters.
Notably, the Mega Rally against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, scheduled for November 1, was announced by Venugopal on October 5.
However, the Congress-led agitation has drawn stark criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party, with MP Ravi Shankar Prasad criticising the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for refusing to reschedule the party’s November 1 rally, alleging that holding the event on the date would hurt the sentiments of the Sikh community.
The anti-Sikh riots broke out in the national capital and in several parts of the country on November 1, 1984, following the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31.
Addressing a press conference, Prasad accused Gandhi of deliberately choosing to hold the rally on November 1 and condemned his refusal to change the date.
“Rahul Gandhi is, in a very calculated manner, attempting to rub salt into the wounded sentiments of the Sikh community by insisting on holding his rally on the 1st of November. He refuses to reschedule it. We condemn this in the strongest possible terms,” Prasad said.
Questioning Gandhi over the date of the rally, Prasad asked, “Why November 1, Mr Rahul Gandhi? What is the reason behind your stubborn resolve to hold your rally specifically on November 1st? What message are you trying to convey?”
Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini also invoked the anti-Sikh riots to question the Congress.
BJP National President Nitin Nabin, during the party’s State Working Committee meeting in Ranchi, accused the Congress of creating political instability and ignoring local issues while orchestrating protests from the national capital.
Addressing the media during the BJP State Working Committee meeting, Nabin urged the party workers to counter the prevailing political climate in the state, drawing a sharp contrast between local apathy and chaos.
He said, “I want to emphasise that we must also wage a determined battle against the atmosphere of chaos prevailing in Jharkhand. Our State President has been discussing the issues concerning students and their recent protests. When the students were protesting, Congress leaders here did not utter a single word in their support. Yet, they sit in Delhi and claim to speak for students and the youth. We must all be aware of this. During the Congress regime, a mafia raj dominated the medical examination system. We completely overhauled that system.”
Responding to the BJP, CPI MP P Sandosh Kumar said that the BJP leaders are making “senseless comments,” adding that the Mega Rally will deliver the message that CEC cannot be saved.
“The BJP is completely perplexed by these developments and the massive protests. Its leaders are continuously making senseless comments. What is the problem with organising a massive rally on November 1? Around one million people are expected to participate. It will send a message to the Union government and the Chief Election Commissioner that no one can save him and that the CEC should go. CPI will participate. We have decided to bring at least 15,000 to 20,000 people from our side,” he said.
Congress MP Jebi Mather said the rally was a joint decision taken after consultations with INDIA bloc parties and asserted that there were no differences within the opposition over the demand for the CEC’s resignation.
“The November 1 rally is by the Congress party with the INDIA bloc, and it is decided after consultations with the INDIA bloc, and it’s a joint decision, and there’s nothing particular about the date, but we have a series of protests. We have had a series of protests. We have different mechanisms and systems we put in place for our demand that Gyanesh Kumar must resign,” she said.
Furthermore, senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel questioned the steep decline in registered voters despite India’s growing population, claiming that over 13 crore voters have had their names removed from the electoral rolls across the country during the SIR exercise.
“Under pressure from this government, the Election Commission sometimes works to increase votes and sometimes, through SIR, works to strike voters’ names from the rolls. The country’s population is continuously increasing, while the number of voters is decreasing. Names of 13 crore people have been deleted (from the voter list). They (BJP) say these people have permanently left from here, so tell us where exactly these people have gone? Now, a conspiracy is underway by them (BJP) to add the names of their own people,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) wrote to Rahul Gandhi, urging him to postpone the party’s November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan until after November 10, citing the peak festive trading season and the potential impact on businesses in the national capital.
In its letter, CTI Chairman Brijesh Goyal requested that the rally be rescheduled to a date after Bhai Dooj, which falls on November 10 this year.
The traders’ body highlighted that Dhanteras, Diwali and Bhai Dooj are among the busiest periods for Delhi’s retail markets, with traders beginning festive purchases and sales well in advance.
According to the letter, “Dhanteras falls on November 6, Diwali on November 8 and Bhai Dooj on November 10. The organisation estimated that Dhanteras alone accounts for business worth around Rs 25,000 crore in Delhi, covering sectors such as gold and silver, utensils, electronics, clothing, dry fruits, sweets, automobiles, furniture and other goods”.
CTI also cited losses suffered by traders during October due to road closures and diversions around Connaught Place, India Gate and central Delhi. The letter claimed that traders had already incurred losses of approximately Rs 3,000 crore because of the disruption.
The organisation further pointed out that 20 prominent wholesale and retail markets are located within a five-kilometre radius of Ramlila Maidan. These include Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazaar, Khari Baoli, Bhagirath Palace, Dariba Kalan, Kashmere Gate, Nai Sarak, Mori Gate, Tilak Bazaar, Daryaganj, Jama Masjid, Chawri Bazaar, Karol Bagh, Nabi Karim, Azad Market and Lajpat Rai Market.
In response to the CTI, Congress leader Rashid Alvi accused the BJP of receiving such letters from its own people, noting that if this were the case, why did the police grant permission for the rally?
He said, “This is how the BJP operates. It gets such letters written by its own people. If there was any such concern, was the police not aware of it? Why did the police grant permission for the programme on November 1? The event was scheduled after obtaining permission. The BJP knows that a large number of people from across the country will attend the rally. That is why it is scared.” (ANI)
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