New Delhi [India], October 30 (ANI): The political confrontation between the Congress-led INDIA bloc and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) intensified on Friday ahead of the opposition alliance’s November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan. While Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP leadership of undermining Indian democracy, the ruling party questioned the opposition’s unity and organisational strength and accused it of turning political frustration into a protest.
The INDIA bloc’s proposed public impeachment programme against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar was postponed to Saturday due to rain, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi announced on Friday. The programme will now be held at the same time.
Speaking to reporters in the national capital, Rahul Gandhi said the decision was taken by consensus, keeping in mind the discomfort senior leaders could face while sitting in the rain.
“By consensus, we have decided to postpone today’s program (public impeachment programme against CEC) to tomorrow at the same time because of rain. We felt that it would be uncomfortable for seniors to sit in the rain, and we will hold the same program tomorrow,” he said.
Rahul Gandhi said the November 1 march to Ramlila Maidan would bring together people from different walks of life, including political and non-political organisations, civil society members, journalists and social workers.
He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and CEC Gyanesh Kumar of being responsible for what he described as the “demolition of Indian democracy”.
“The day after, we have a march to Ramlila Maidan. All the opposition, everybody who wants to come: political, non-political, social, service people, civil society people, journalists. Both the programs are about the demolition of Indian democracy by Narendra Modi, by Amit Shah, by Gyanesh Kumar and his crew in the Election Commission,” he said.
The Congress leader also alleged that the Union Home Minister was attempting to prevent people from different states from reaching Delhi to participate in the rally.
“The Home Minister is trying his best to stop people from coming into Delhi, trying to ensure that our party members, common people who want to come from UP, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Telangana, Punjab, are being stopped. And they’re trying their best…” Rahul Gandhi said.
He further said that the response to the November 1 rally would reflect public sentiment, alleging that people were angry and distressed over what he described as the disenfranchisement of millions of voters and theft of their votes.
Meanwhile, the BJP stepped up its criticism of the opposition alliance, questioning its decision to postpone the public programme and alleging a lack of coordination among INDIA bloc partners.
BJP National Spokesperson and MP Sambit Patra targeted Rahul Gandhi over the postponement of the proposed programme and accused opposition parties of lacking unity and organisational capability.
“A short while ago, Rahul Gandhi and a few Opposition leaders addressed a press conference and lied about the Nov 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan. Rahul Gandhi also spoke about their mock Parliament, which could not be held. Samajwadi Party also spoke on MLC elections and the Opposition unity. It can be seen that the Opposition parties lack unity and organisational capability. Perhaps that is why they had to defer the mock Parliament. They are anyway mocking democracy…” Patra said.
BJP MP Jagdambika Pal also criticised the Congress leader, describing the proposed opposition programme as an expression of frustration rather than a movement.
“It is not an ‘andolan’, but just his (Rahul Gandhi) frustration,” he said.
Union Minister Chirag Paswan raised questions over the timing of the INDIA bloc’s November 1 rally, referring to the anniversary of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi.
“Regarding November 1st, I don’t know if this is a coincidence or something else, but they should have at least been sensitive enough to realise that this date carries a different, sombre significance. It was on this very soil, in Delhi, that the massacre of Sikhs took place. With the Punjab elections approaching, the Congress party, by holding a rally, a show of strength, on the anniversary of the Sikh massacre, is effectively rubbing salt into the wounds of those who lost their loved ones in that tragedy…” Paswan said.
Questioning the INDIA bloc rally on November 1 at Ramlila Maidan, the BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said the venue was located in a significant trade and commerce hub for North India and that holding the event during the festive season could affect business activities.
“Why is the Congress party holding a rally on November 1st? The area in Delhi where they are planning this event is a major hub for trade and commerce for all of North India-especially during this festive season, which spans from Navratri through Diwali and Chhath Puja,” Trivedi said.
Earlier in the day, senior opposition leaders visited Ramlila Maidan to review preparations for the November 1 rally. The visit came after INDIA bloc leaders held a meeting at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to discuss arrangements for the programme.
The rally, being organised under the banner of ‘Chalo Dilli Ramlila March’, is expected to draw opposition leaders and party workers from across the country. The opposition alliance is expected to demand the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Several parties, including those from southern states, have extended support to the proposed rally, with multiple Chief Ministers and senior Congress leaders expected to participate.
In a parallel development, the BJP is also preparing to organise a protest march in Delhi on November 1, coinciding with the INDIA bloc’s rally at Ramlila Maidan.
The BJP’s proposed march is expected to see the participation of around 5,000 people and is being planned for 11 am in the Hari Nagar area. The party is preparing to mobilise a large number of people, particularly members of the Sikh community, as part of its counter-protest.
The two programmes on November 1 are expected to bring the political confrontation between the ruling BJP and the opposition INDIA bloc onto the streets of the national capital, with both sides preparing to mobilise supporters around their respective positions. (ANI)
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