Rahul Gandhi posted on X on Sunday, calling for a mass march in Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on Nov 1 to defend the integrity of India’s polls. He accused the ruling BJP and its allies of deleting voter names and violating electoral laws, warning that the country would not tolerate silent acquiescence.
The call came a day after the BJP requested Gandhi to defer the protest, citing the date’s proximity to the 1981 anti‑Sikh riots anniversary. Party leaders said the timing could provoke sensitive reactions.
Gandhi’s post urged students, farmers, workers, women, youth and traders to attend, framing the rally as a collective fight for democracy. "Our votes are being stolen and we will not tolerate this quietly under any circumstances," he said.
Opposition leaders have previously highlighted irregularities in voter roll updates, noting the removal of names. The Election Commission has yet to confirm whether these allegations are substantiated.
The protest is expected to draw thousands, with security forces likely to deploy at Ramlila Maidan. The Congress will hold the rally as planned on Nov 1, while the BJP has pledged to monitor the event closely. The election commission will review the vote‑theft claims before the rally, and a parliamentary committee will examine the allegations next month.