The INDIA bloc and BJP will hold rival marches in Delhi today. The Opposition targets the Election Commission over electoral roll issues, while the BJP raises the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Traders fear Diwali losses as police deployed 10,000 personnel. The BJP dismissed the Opposition's protest as "melodrama" amid the tension.
Ramlila Maidan protest: The BJP has dismissed the Opposition bloc INDIA's exercise as "melodrama"
The Opposition bloc INDIA and the BJP will hold protests in the national capital today
New Delhi:
The Opposition bloc INDIA and the BJP will hold rival marches in Delhi today with the Opposition targeting the Election Commission over alleged electoral roll irregularities and the ruling party raising the 1984 anti-Sikh riots to attack the Congress.
The INDIA bloc's "Chalo Delhi" march will end at Ramlila Maidan as they call for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
INDIA bloc MPs will assemble at the Constitution Club at 11 am and the march is scheduled to start at noon from central Delhi's Minto Road-Connaught Place junction. Opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Mamata Banerjee, Abhishek Banerjee, Hemant Soren, Revanth Reddy, Tejashwi Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav are among the leaders expected to attend.
Posters announcing the march have appeared outside Ramlila Maidan and even groups like the Students' Federation of India have also called for participation.
The rally follows an Opposition programme yesterday in which Kharge moved a symbolic resolution containing six allegations against the CEC. It accused Kumar of conspiring to influence elections, deleting 13.2 crore voters, changing Form 6 without parliamentary oversight and taking control of electoral rolls through the ECINET.
The resolution alleged that the two other election commissioners had been excluded from key decisions, alluding to a report by the Indian Express newspaper.
The BJP has dismissed the exercise as "melodrama".
One group that's not attending is the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) whose founder Abhijeet Dipke met Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee in Delhi yesterday and thanked her for supporting the outfit's youth-led protests. He, however, said the CJP would retain its independent identity and not join the Sunday protest by the opposition parties.
"I just came to say thank you to Didi because the way she supported our first Jantar Mantar movement, she was always so strongly with the youth movement. When Saurav and Ashutosh were arrested by the Delhi Police, even then Didi stood with us very firmly," he said.
Nearly 10,000 police and paramilitary personnel including Delhi Police, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), CRPF and Rapid Action Force (RAF) have been deployed across central and New Delhi.
More than 4,000 personnel have been stationed around Ramlila Maidan, along the route from Minto Bridge to the rally venue and in the surrounding areas. Heavy security arrangements and multi-layered barricading have also been put in place around Connaught Place, Jantar Mantar, Bhagwan Das Road and areas near the Supreme Court and Election Commission of India office.
Traffic is being regulated and diversions are being made in parts of central Delhi from 10 am to 5 pm. Commuters have been asked to plan their journeys in advance.
"We have covered the entire area with 200 to 250 CCTV cameras. The organisers also have their own control room and we are working together to ensure the security of this entire area," senior police officer Rohit Rajbir said.
Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal, who announced the November 1 rally last month, called the campaign "Chalo Dilli, Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao", referring to the theme of the protest against the CEC as a "campaign to stop electoral manipulation to save the country."
"Thirteen crore names have been deleted from electoral rolls. There is a massive fraud happening in voter rolls in state after state," Venugopal alleged, adding Gandhi was "fearlessly raising questions" and holding those in power "accountable".
The BJP will hold a separate march in west Delhi to remember those killed in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, with the party accusing the Congress of holding its rally on the anniversary of the violence.
The BJP march will begin at 11.30 am from Hari Nagar bus depot and go to Tilak Nagar metro station. Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Minister of State Harsh Malhotra, HS Phoolka, Manjinder Singh Sirsa and BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj are expected to participate.
BJP MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney will address the media with riot survivors at Gurdwara Shaheed Ganj Sahib before the march while Survivors and families of those killed in the 1984 anti-Sikh are also expected to join the protest.
Another set of people protesting against the INDIA bloc rally are traders in the national capital. They fear road closures and congestion will keep buyers away during the festive shopping period just before Diwali.
Automotive Parts Merchant Association president Vinay Narang said traders supported the right to protest but opposed the venue and timing. "We are not aligned with any political party, nor are we against democratic protests. But the timing and the venue are completely wrong," he said.
Narang said Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazaar, Daryaganj, Mori Gate and Kashmere Gate were located within 3 km of the protest site. "Whenever such rallies take place, outstation traders avoid visiting Delhi for nearly three days before and after due to fear and disruption," he said.
The association's vice-president, Ravinder Singh Kohli, said daily-wage workers would be hit first. "The worst hit are the daily-wage earners, coolies, porters and cart-pullers who depend on daily earnings of Rs 200-300 to feed their families," he said.
APMA general secretary Dharampal Ratra estimated that traders could lose more than Rs 2,000.
Gandhi however rejected the traders' concerns and asked rally participants to shop in Delhi. "Protest, march, hold rallies, and along with that, do a little shopping too. It will benefit the traders," he said. "I know the rally will not harm the traders. The BJP is scared, that's why it's spreading rumours."
Security has been tightened across the national capital with gatherings banned at Jantar Mantar and outside the Election Commission of India's office and a large number of police and paramilitary personnel deployed at Ramlila Maidan.
Got a follow‑up question on this article? Go on
How may i help you today
Show full article
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world