Political opponents in India held a large demonstration in New Delhi on Sunday to protest the nationwide revision of electoral lists. They believe these changes benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Narendra Modi.
Protests and Demands
At this rally, protesters also called for the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar, the Chief Election Commissioner of India. This demonstration, known as "Chalo Delhi," will start from Minto Crossing in Connaught Place and end at Ramlila Maidan.
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Prominent figures from the opposition coalition known as the INDIA bloc, including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Mamata Banerjee, and Akhilesh Yadav, will participate in this demonstration. The Youth Party of Kachra Janata (CJP), which held a protest against Kumar last month, has also supported this gathering.
Concerns About Electoral Lists
As part of a controversial initiative called Special and Immediate Revision (SIR), approximately 130 million names have been removed from the electoral lists. Opponents and critics say that many minority voters have been excluded from the lists, accusing the BJP of using this action as a tool to secure future electoral advantages. The BJP has denied these allegations.
Criticism of the Chief Election Commissioner began in September when an investigative report pointed to internal divisions within the Election Commission of India. Concerns about the independence of this body have also been raised.
The Election Commission has emphasized that SIR helps remove deceased, displaced, and duplicate voters and prevents the entry of "illegal foreign migrants."
Demonstrations at Ramlila Maidan
On Saturday, the INDIA bloc held a symbolic impeachment of the Chief Election Commissioner. Opposition members of parliament reconstructed a parliamentary session in a garden near Kharge's residence. Rahul Gandhi, the opposition leader, stated, "I don’t think anything like this has happened in history. All the opposition members are sitting in a garden to discuss the impeachment of the CEC; this is ridiculous."
On Sunday, opponents expect thousands of supporters to come to Ramlila Maidan. This is the first large gathering at this location since it was designated as one of three protest sites in the capital.
Delhi police have announced that around 200 to 250 surveillance cameras have been installed at the site and about 4,000 security personnel have been deployed at Ramlila Maidan. Additionally, restrictions and changes to traffic in central Delhi have been announced to ensure the security of the gathering.
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