Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Sunday invoked the metaphor of 'Shiv ki Baraat' to call for an inclusive India, asserting that everyone should have equal opportunities regardless of their background.
Addressing the INDIA bloc's 'Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao' rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on November 1, Gandhi said the country should belong to everyone and not be controlled by a handful of powerful individuals.
"Anyone can join Shiv ki Baraat. Every living being can join it. Can anyone be stopped from participating in that? No. We want that kind of India," Gandhi said.
He stressed that people who work hard should receive fair opportunities and rewards, citing farmers and students as examples. Gandhi said a farmer who puts in hard work should benefit from it, while a student who studies for 18 hours should be able to secure employment.
"We do not want a country that belongs only to two or three people," he said, taking aim at what he described as the concentration of power and opportunities in the hands of a few.
'First Step Is To Remove Gyanesh Kumar': Rahul Gandhi
Turning his attention to the Election Commission, Gandhi said removing Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar was the first step towards putting the country back on the right track.
"The first step to get the country back on the right track is to remove Gyanesh Kumar," he said.
The Congress leader's remarks came amid the Opposition's allegations of irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The INDIA bloc has accused the Election Commission of facilitating the deletion of voters' names and has demanded Kumar's resignation.
The Opposition has described the alleged manipulation of electoral rolls as 'vote chori' and maintained that the issue poses a threat to democratic institutions and electoral rights.
INDIA Bloc Leaders Gather At Ramlila Maidan For 'Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao' Rally
The INDIA bloc's rally at Ramlila Maidan is part of its ongoing campaign against the Election Commission's SIR exercise and alleged voter deletions.
Several prominent Opposition leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and other alliance representatives, are participating in the mobilisation.
The rally follows a symbolic 'public impeachment' of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar held a day earlier at Kharge's residence.
The Opposition's march began from the Minto Road–Connaught Place junction, with leaders and supporters making their way towards Ramlila Maidan. The gathering has drawn participants from several states, with speeches focusing on alleged electoral irregularities and the need to protect democratic institutions.
Opposition Demands CEC's Resignation Over Alleged Vote Chori
The INDIA bloc has been demanding Kumar's resignation, alleging that the SIR exercise has resulted in the wrongful deletion of voters from electoral rolls.
Opposition leaders have also raised concerns over the Election Commission's handling of electoral processes and alleged manipulation of voter lists in several states.
The BJP, meanwhile, has rejected the Opposition's allegations and accused the INDIA bloc of spreading misinformation and creating political disorder. The ruling party has also organised counter-protests in Delhi and other parts of the country under the slogan 'Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao'.
The competing political mobilisations have brought the Election Commission, electoral transparency and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots anniversary into the centre of Sunday's political debate.
