Opposition parties have strategized to intensify their protests against the SIR and voter list changes. A meeting at Rahul Gandhi’s residence suggested a joint demonstration at Jantar Mantar, a rally at Ramlila Maidan in the first week of November, and a mock parliament. The opposition also discussed continuing the legal battle and preparing to mobilize within 24 hours if necessary.
New Delhi: The opposition is preparing to continue its fight against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar from the streets to the courts. To transform the ongoing protests against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), a process for voter list changes, into a joint campaign, the I.N.D.I.A. is strategizing a demonstration at Jantar Mantar and a proposed rally at Ramlila Maidan. A mock parliament has also been proposed before the rally. Leaders of opposition parties, along with representatives of student organizations and civil society, participated in a meeting held at Rahul Gandhi’s residence on Tuesday. The meeting discussed the next phase of the movement, forming a joint front at Jantar Mantar, and continuing the legal battle.
Rahul’s message: Be prepared to mobilize within 24 hours.
At the meeting, Rahul Gandhi urged leaders and organizations to be prepared to mobilize within 24 hours if needed. He emphasized the need to transform individual protests into a joint campaign. The opposition wants to keep questions related to the accountability of the SIR and the Election Commission in the political debate. After Jantar Mantar was removed from the list of designated protest sites, the opposition is linking the issue to the right to protest. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and CPI General Secretary D. Raja expressed concern at the meeting. The opposition is attempting to bring political parties, student organizations, and civil society groups together through a joint program. Rahul Gandhi stated that they will reclaim Jantar Mantar.
Next steps will be decided after court action.
On October 12, opposition leaders marched to the Supreme Court. Now, the opposition wants to continue the mass movement alongside the legal process. A joint campaign at Jantar Mantar and a proposed rally at Ramlila Maidan may be part of the next phase of the movement. However, final decisions on the detailed program and mock parliament are still pending.
Suggestion of a Mock Parliament Before the Rally
A suggestion was made to hold a mock parliament before the proposed rally at Ramlila Maidan in the first week of November. This also includes the idea of symbolic action such as impeachment against the Chief Election Commissioner. However, this is still a proposal, not a final decision. The meeting also discussed inviting people who claim to have their names removed from the voter list during the SIR to the rally. CPI (ML) Liberation General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya stated that the struggle will continue until Gyanesh Kumar resigns. Trinamool Congress MP Sagarika Ghosh and Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Sanjay Raut also supported the continuation of the campaign. Leaders of opposition parties appeared completely united against the changes to the voter list.
Authored by: Hemant Rajoura •Edited by: Tina
About the Author
Hemant Rajoura is a special correspondent for Navbharat Times. He covers the politics of major opposition parties, including the Congress, Samajwadi Party, and RJD, in-depth. He also keeps a close eye on important news related to health, science, and policy.
Courtesy: Hindi News