INDIA Bloc Anti-SIR Protest LIVE: INDIA Bloc Set To Protest Against CEC Gyanesh Kumar In Delhi Today

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has criticised the INDIA bloc’s decision to hold its rally on November 1, pointing to the anniversary of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Puri said the date was insensitive, noting that thousands of people were killed in the violence that followed the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He questioned why the Opposition had chosen the date for its protest and suggested that the rally could have been scheduled after November 4.

Supporters of Left parties began arriving at New Delhi Railway Station on Sunday morning to participate in the INDIA bloc’s ‘Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao’ rally at Ramlila Maidan. Carrying party flags and banners, the supporters are expected to join groups heading towards the protest venue.

The rally is being held against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, with Opposition parties demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Delhi Police has said that no formal permission was sought or granted for the INDIA bloc’s ‘Chalo Dilli’ march from the Connaught Place area to Ramlila Maidan. However, the police have said they are coordinating with the organisers to facilitate the march.

Around 10,000 police and paramilitary personnel are expected to be deployed along the route and around the rally venue. The arrangements include barricades, CCTV surveillance and additional forces on standby to manage crowd movement.

The march is scheduled to begin near Minto Road Bridge at noon and proceed towards Ramlila Maidan. The rally has been permitted at the venue between 10 am and 5 pm.

Preparations are underway at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan ahead of the INDIA bloc’s protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Posters, banners and party cut-outs have been put up across the venue, with arrangements for seating, public address systems and security barricades.

Delhi Police is preparing for a large gathering, with senior officers estimating that around 50,000 people could attend. Security arrangements include the deployment of police and paramilitary personnel, along with surveillance across the venue and surrounding areas.

The Indian Youth Congress has also said that some participants will wear white to symbolise voters allegedly marked as dead or removed from electoral rolls. The rally is scheduled to continue through the day, with Opposition leaders expected to address the gathering.

Senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar on Saturday backed Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of irregularities in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, claiming that 15–16 crore voters had been deleted from electoral rolls.

Speaking in Nagpur, Wadettiwar alleged that voter deletions had particularly affected people opposed to the BJP and claimed that the party had won elections through “100 per cent vote theft”.

“Rahul has spoken the truth. What Rahul has presented is the reality,” he said.

Wadettiwar also accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of undermining democracy and demanded his removal. He alleged that Kumar was acting above the Constitution and its provisions.

-PTI

Independent Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Saturday accused the government of bulldozing the Constitution and voters’ rights, responding to the label ‘Dimagi Naxals’ allegedly used for opposition leaders by calling the government ‘Dimagi bulldozer’.

Speaking at the INDIA bloc’s symbolic public impeachment of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi, Sibal said the opposition was not being heard in Parliament and that protests were met with baton charges.

“They call us ‘Dimagi Naxals’ – but I would say to them that you are ‘Dimagi bulldozer’. You have bulldozed our Constitution; you have bulldozed the rights and votes of the people,” he said.

Sibal said the allegations of electoral irregularities predated Gyanesh Kumar’s tenure as CEC, pointing to the 2023 law granting immunity to the chief election commissioner, introduced when Rajiv Kumar held the post.

Calling Gyanesh Kumar a “pawn on a chess board”, Sibal said the opposition’s campaign should not end with the CEC’s removal.

“A promise the opposition should make to people is that it will not end with Gyanesh Kumar but start with Gyanesh Kumar,” he said.

-PTI

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Saturday (October 31) met Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee in Delhi and thanked her for supporting the outfit’s youth-led protests.

Dipke expressed solidarity with the INDIA bloc’s Sunday rally over alleged “vote chori” but said the CJP would retain its independent identity and would not join the opposition’s protest.

He said he had met Banerjee to thank her for supporting the outfit’s first protest at Jantar Mantar over the NEET paper leak and for backing its leaders, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, after their arrest by Delhi Police.

-PTI

Left leaders on Saturday accused Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar of disenfranchising voters through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, demanding his removal during the INDIA bloc’s public impeachment programme in New Delhi.

CPI(M) MP John Brittas said even elected representatives were being asked to establish their eligibility to vote. He said he had attended two hearings himself, despite being a sitting MP.

CPI MP P Sandosh Kumar alleged that the SIR exercise had reversed the relationship between voters and the government. “In a democracy, people elect the government. In SIR, the reverse is happening – the government is selecting the voters,” he said.

CPI(ML) Liberation MP Sudama Prasad demanded the CEC’s removal and arrest, while AISA president Neha Bora alleged that the exercise was aimed at excluding young voters.

The programme was held at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence, with former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar presiding over the proceedings.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday (October 31) urged people travelling to Delhi for the INDIA bloc’s Sunday rally to shop from local traders, saying the march and demonstration would not affect businesses.

In a video message posted on X, Gandhi said lakhs of people were expected to join the march to Ramlila Maidan and asked them to support local traders during the festive season.

“Along with protesting, marching and attending the rally tomorrow, do a little shopping too,” he said.

Gandhi also accused the BJP of spreading rumours about the rally’s impact on businesses, saying, “I know that our rally will not hurt the traders. The BJP is spreading rumours because it is scared.”

The INDIA bloc is holding the rally to protest alleged electoral irregularities and demand CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.

-PTI

Former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar presided over the INDIA bloc’s symbolic public impeachment of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Saturday (October 31), sitting in a chair that Congress leader Pawan Khera said had once been occupied by Jawaharlal Nehru.

Khera, who was involved in organising the exercise, said Meira Kumar invoked Nehru’s legacy when she declared Gyanesh Kumar unfit to continue as Chief Election Commissioner.

“Today, in that very chair, invoking the spirit of Nehru, former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar pronounced Gyanesh Kumar unfit to continue as the Chief Election Commissioner of India,” Khera said.

The Janata Dal (United) on Saturday (October 31) called the INDIA bloc’s public impeachment exercise against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar a “drama”, accusing the Congress of attempting to push the country towards anarchy.

JD(U) national spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad said the exercise did not reflect the role of a constructive opposition and would not help resolve any dispute. He also described the episode as reflecting an extremist perspective.

“This is not going to resolve any dispute in any manner. It is an attempt to push the country towards anarchy,” Prasad told PTI.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday (October 31) demanded the immediate removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and the scrapping of the 2023 law granting immunity to the CEC.

Accusing Kumar of working under the directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, Kharge alleged that the Modi government had hatched conspiracies to retain power since 2014.

“The Modi government has hatched every conspiracy since 2014 to cling to power: stealing MPs, breaking parties, stealing governments, electoral bonds, misuse of ED/CBI. And now vote theft -- cut opposition votes and rule,” he said.

Kharge added that there were hundreds of examples of “vote chori”.

-PTI