Opposition parties used the November 1 gathering at Ramlila Maidan to question the Special Intensive Revision and seek accountability from the Election Commission.
Leaders Put Electoral Rolls at the Centre
A range of opposition leaders assembled at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on November 1 for an INDIA bloc rally focused on alleged problems in the revision of electoral rolls. The gathering was part of the alliance’s campaign against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), with speakers calling for answers from Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The speeches reflected the concerns and political priorities of parties from different states. Their shared message was that the revision process must not leave eligible citizens unable to vote.
Kharge Raises Concerns About Sections of the Electorate
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were targeting groups that included women, young voters and Dalits. He said the opposition would continue seeking accountability and described the campaign as an effort to safeguard voting rights.
The allegations were made by Kharge at the rally. The BJP has rejected the opposition’s claims of electoral manipulation.
Akhilesh Yadav Cites Uttar Pradesh
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav referred to alleged voter deletions in Uttar Pradesh. He argued that changes to voter lists could affect supporters of more than one political party and questioned whether the process was sufficiently transparent.
Yadav also brought up disputes involving donations to religious institutions as part of his criticism of the BJP’s political positions.
Banerjee Challenges the Revision Exercise
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the SIR process could put the voting rights of legitimate citizens at risk. She criticised the Election Commission and appealed to the judiciary and media to take an interest in the questions being raised about electoral fairness.
Tejashwi, Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti Speak
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav invoked the Mahabharat while describing the opposition’s political struggle as a fight over democratic values. National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah spoke about the contribution of Muslims to India, while PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti called on citizens to defend constitutional principles.
A Shared Opposition Platform
The rally included representatives of the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress, RJD, National Conference and PDP, among other parties. A procession travelled from the Minto Road–Connaught Place area towards the venue, accompanied by party workers, students and youth groups.
The gathering was an effort to keep voter-list concerns in the national debate. The Election Commission and BJP have disputed the opposition’s allegations, and the disagreement over the SIR process continues.