Highlights
- Rahul Gandhi urges students and people across political lines to join the 'Chalo Dilli' march.
- Former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar to chair the opposition's symbolic impeachment proceedings against the CEC on Friday (30).
- INDIA bloc accuses the Election Commission of irregularities in electoral roll revisions and demands Kumar's resignation.
INDIA's opposition Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday (29) appealed to people across the country to join the opposition INDIA bloc's Sunday (1) march in Delhi, asking them not to fear police action and saying the BJP would not dare to disrupt the protest.
Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the parliament, said the 'Chalo Dilli' march to Ramlila Maidan was intended to protect democracy, stop alleged "vote theft" and defend the Constitution.
"Don't worry about the police, don't worry about lathis – the BJP will not have the guts to try any of their antics," Gandhi said in a video posted on X. "Come march with us – we will walk together to protect the Constitution, to protect the Indian nation," he added.
Gandhi called on student organisations, regardless of their political affiliations, to participate in the protest.
"This is not a march for any single political party; it is a march for the very soul of India," he said.
He invited those unhappy with prime minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah and chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to join the demonstration.
Gandhi said students who believed their freedom of expression, ideas and way of thinking were under attack should also take part.
"It will be a fantastic march, and it's a march for the soul of this country," he said.
Opposition plans symbolic impeachment
His appeal came as INDIA bloc leaders finalised plans for a symbolic "public impeachment" of Kumar on Friday (30), ahead of the march.
Former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar will chair the proceedings at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence at 10, Rajaji Marg, in New Delhi.
Kharge will introduce the symbolic impeachment motion, while Gandhi will deliver the concluding remarks before its adoption, according to opposition sources.
Representatives of INDIA bloc parties will address the gathering, with one speaker from each party.
Opposition leaders met at Kharge's residence on Thursday to discuss the arrangements. Those attending included Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Jairam Ramesh, K C Venugopal, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien and representatives of other opposition parties.
Speaking in Bengaluru, Kharge said the protests would continue over alleged electoral irregularities.
"We will fight. In a democracy, if you don't fight, people will not be awakened," he said.
Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi said the proceedings would highlight concerns about electoral roll revisions and send a message of opposition unity.
Claims over deleted voters
Opposition parties have accused the Election Commission of irregularities during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demanded Kumar's resignation.
Congress general secretary K C Venugopal alleged that 130 million names had been deleted from electoral rolls and that electoral fraud was taking place across states.
"Our votes are being stolen and when we demand answers, we are met with lathicharge and detention, but we will not be silenced," he said.
These allegations and figures were presented by Congress leaders and have not been independently established in the material provided.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had earlier accused Kumar of violating constitutional principles and undermining electoral democracy.
Friday's proceedings are a symbolic political protest, not a formal constitutional impeachment process.
(with inputs from PTI)
