Opposition show of strength: Rahul Gandhi alleges electoral irregularities, targets CEC Gyanesh Kumar
New Delhi, November 01: In the ‘Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao’ mega rally of Indi alliance of opposition parties in Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on Sunday, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi accused Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar of vote theft.
Rahul Gandhi alleged that the 2024 Lok Sabha elections were illegal and names of voters were deleted in it. Rahul Gandhi said that the first step to bring the country on the right path is to remove Gyanesh Kumar from the post.
Before the rally, leaders and workers of opposition parties took out a march from Minto Road to Ramlila Maidan. The march was attended by several senior leaders of opposition parties, including Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav, Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banerjee, National Conference Chief Farooq Abdullah, PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti, and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav.
The leaders, who arrived in open vehicles, were welcomed at Ramlila Maidan. Opposition leaders then addressed the gathering from the stage. Neha Bora of the All India Students Association (AISA) also addressed the gathering. Following the speeches of Mallikarjun Kharge, Akhilesh Yadav, Farooq Abdullah, Mamata Banerjee, and Mehbooba Mufti, Rahul Gandhi took the stage.
She said that Gyanesh Kumar will step down from his post as Chief Election Commissioner and will face jail. “This is not a simple theft, but a theft of the vote and voice of every citizen of the country,” he alleged. He alleged that irregularities in the electoral process have compromised democracy and voters’ rights.
She said that Amit Shah says that Narendra Modi will not go anywhere, but legal action will be taken against him as well. The opposition does not believe in violence and hatred; its aim is to promote love and brotherhood in the country.
She said that the voice of every Indian is important for the opposition. This protest is a call to save the country’s democracy. She alleged that constitutional institutions are being hijacked, affecting farmers, youth, and ordinary citizens.
She said that farmers should receive the fruits of their hard work, and students who study 18 hours a day should receive the results in the form of education and employment.
Earlier, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, addressing the rally, accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of influencing the electoral process. He said that both leaders are trying to protect Gyanesh Kumar.
Kharge claimed that the people of Maharashtra, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh did not elect governments, but rather formed governments through rigging the electoral process. He said that removing Modi is necessary to save democracy. Kharge appealed to party workers to continue the struggle.
Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav said that Ramlila Maidan has become the Haldighati of democracy today. Referring to Uttar Pradesh, he said that those who came there will now have to leave. Akhilesh claimed that in 2027, the BJP and its allies will be so devastated that they will not be able to return to power.
Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav said that usually the Ramayana is enacted at Ramlila Maidan, but today it is a Mahabharata against vote theft. He targeted Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, calling him a puppet of the Prime Minister. Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said that if people do not wake up, democracy and the Constitution will be weakened. She appealed to the people to unite and fight.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor alleged that the names of approximately 130 million people have been removed from the voter list. People’s trust in the Chief Election Commissioner has eroded and every citizen’s right to vote must be protected. Congress leader Kumari Selja said that opposition parties and supporters have resolved to remove the government from power.
At the rally, the opposition demanded the resignation or removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, an immediate halt to the Special Intensive Review (SIR) process, and the return of ballot papers in place of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in elections. Congress workers from Karnataka arrived at the rally with meter-long copies of voter lists. The workers claimed that these names had been removed from the voter list during the SIR.
