Congress leaders confident of massive turnout at INDIA bloc’s November 1 rally

New Delhi, Oct 18 (IANS) The INDIA bloc’s proposed protest march on November 1, against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demands for removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, will see a massive turnout of people, a section of Congress leaders said on Sunday.

Congress leader Hussain Dalwai said public anger has grown against the government because of its ‘arrogance and stubborness’ despite the Opposition flagging serious lapses in the SIR exercise and demands for necessary regulations including scrapping of the exercise.

“Right now, there is so much anger in people’s minds because this government does not listen to anything at all. Despite repeatedly bringing it up and protesting in various ways, including protests led by the INDI Alliance, where a massive crowd gathered in Delhi on the 12th to raise their voice, the government is still not taking any action regarding the SIR, nor are they removing him (Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar),” he said.

Dalwai said the INDIA bloc would organise a major rally on November 1, bringing together political representatives and organisations from different parts of the country.

“It is essential to remove Gyanesh Kumar, but they refuse to do so. Because of this, a major gathering will be held on November 1st on behalf of the INDI Alliance, where people from all states across India, as well as various organisations, will unite and participate in large numbers,” he added.

Congress leader Atul Londhe Patil claimed that people would turn up in large numbers without needing an appeal from political leaders, citing concerns over alleged electoral irregularities and the state of democracy.

“There is no need to make an appeal to gather people. Given the way votes have been stolen, democracy has been stolen, democracy is in danger, and the Constitution is in danger, people are naturally ready to come there on their own,” he said.

Predicting a massive turnout, Londhe Patil said the gathering could exceed 10 lakh people.

“You speak of 500,000 people, but there won’t even be space to stand. Not just 500,000, but over 10-15 lakhs of people from across the entire country are going to gather there on a massive scale; this is the information we have,” he added.

The remarks came after the Delhi Police on Saturday granted permission to the Congress to hold a mega rally at Ramlila Maidan on November 1 to protest against alleged irregularities in the Election Commission of India’s SIR of voter rolls.

The Congress, led by Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders, has been mobilising support against the revision exercise and demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.

–IANS

rs/mr