Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday announced that the INDIA bloc’s proposed public impeachment programme against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar had been postponed to Saturday due to rain.
The event will take place at the same time as originally scheduled.
Speaking to reporters in the national capital, Rahul Gandhi said the decision was taken by consensus, with leaders mindful of the discomfort senior members could face while sitting in the rain.
“By consensus, we have decided to postpone today’s programme (public impeachment programme against CEC) to tomorrow at the same time because of rain. We felt that it would be uncomfortable for seniors to sit in the rain, and we will hold the same programme tomorrow”, he said.
Rahul Gandhi accuses BJP leadership of ‘demolition of Indian democracy’
Rahul Gandhi said the INDIA bloc’s march to Ramlila Maidan, scheduled for the day after, would bring together people from different walks of life. He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and CEC Gyanesh Kumar of being responsible for what he described as the “demolition of Indian democracy”.
“The day after, we have a march to Ramlila Maidan. All the Opposition, everybody who wants to come: political, non-political, social, service people, civil society people, journalists. Both the programmes are about the demolition of Indian democracy by Narendra Modi, by Amit Shah, by Gyanesh Kumar and his crew in the Election Commission”, he said.
The Congress leader also alleged that the Home Minister was making efforts to prevent people from travelling to Delhi to attend the rally.
“The Home Minister is trying his best to stop people from coming into Delhi, trying to ensure that our party members, common people who want to come from UP, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Telangana, Punjab, are being stopped. And they’re trying their best…” Rahul Gandhi said.
INDIA bloc to hold November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan
Rahul Gandhi said the response to the INDIA bloc’s November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan would reflect public sentiment, alleging that people were angry and emotionally distressed over what he described as the disenfranchisement of millions and the theft of their votes.
He accused the BJP leadership and industrialists Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani of benefiting from the alleged electoral irregularities.
Describing the mobilisation as a united protest rather than a series of separate demonstrations, Rahul Gandhi said the entire Opposition was standing together. He invited anyone willing to protest to join the march.
He added that the Opposition was seeking to defend the Constitution, the idea of India and citizens’ right to vote.
INDIA Bloc leaders aather at Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence
The public impeachment programme was originally scheduled for 3.30 pm on Friday at 10, Rajaji Marg, the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
Ahead of the event, INDIA bloc leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, party leader Pawan Khera, General Secretary KC Venugopal and Jairam Ramesh, began arriving at Kharge’s residence for a meeting.