Opposition Coalition Mobilizes in Delhi to Defend Electoral Integrity and Democracy
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Leaders from 21 opposition parties assembled at Ramlila Maidan to denounce alleged electoral misconduct and demand the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, warning that democracy is being eroded by concentrated power and vote-rigging.
A massive rally was held at Ramlila Maidan by leaders and supporters from 21 opposition parties under the INDIA bloc, centered on allegations of electoral misconduct and the urgent need to protect democratic rights. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge sharply criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of controlling voter selection and declaring, "Today, in the country, Narendra Modi is deciding who will cast the vote!" He stressed that those he called "vote thieves" must be removed in order to safeguard democracy.
Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, reinforced these concerns and argued for a nation in which farmers' hopes are realized and employment is made available to all. He condemned the concentration of power in the hands of a few and called for communal harmony, saying the current government spreads hatred. Gandhi also invoked Mahatma Gandhi's principle that the voices of the marginalized must be protected.
Mamata Banerjee, chairperson of the All India Trinamool Congress, accused the BJP of weakening democracy in Bengal and across the country, while Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav highlighted the party's complaints to the Election Commission regarding vote theft. He stated, "We still remember Bengal’s election and the pictures from there, where the election was stolen through the might of SIR and force."
Bihar Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav rejected the BJP's claims of patriotism, arguing that the party is trying to decide who is eligible to vote. Mehbooba Mufti, president of the Peoples Democratic Party, warned against attempts to alter the Constitution and curtail voting rights.
Dipankar Bhattacharya from the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation condemned the SIR initiative as a mechanism for disenfranchisement, while M.A. Baby from CPI(Marxist) denounced Modi as the "emperor of lies," insisting that unity is essential to confront electoral fraud. Neha Bora, national president of the All India Students Association, closed the rally by declaring that the public would resist any anti-national efforts.