INDIA bloc’s November 1 rally against CEC to bring students, civil society groups together

The INDIA bloc’s November 1 rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, which will demand the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, is set to bring together opposition parties, student bodies and civil society organisations. The expanded participation reflects Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s position that “all protests are one”, people familiar with the matter said.

The Delhi Police has granted the Congress permission to hold the demonstration and issued a no-objection certificate. The venue has been reserved by the party from October 25 to November 3.

Opposition broadens participation in anti-CEC campaign

The INDIA bloc parties met in New Delhi on September 29 to announce a series of protests demanding Kumar’s removal. The programme included a rally at Ramlila Maidan on November 1, initially planned around the opposition alliance’s constituent parties.

However, student groups and civil society organisations have increasingly joined demonstrations against the Chief Election Commissioner, prompting the bloc to widen the rally’s participation.

“All of us are working together. There are no divisions. All of us are working together,” Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Derek O’Brien said on Sunday, adding that the rally would include students and members of civil society.

The planned gathering follows a series of demonstrations in the national capital, including a march to the Supreme Court and another from Parliament to Rashtrapati Bhavan to meet President Droupadi Murmu.

The protests have intensified the confrontation between the Opposition and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Union Home Minister Amit Shah questioned the Opposition’s argument against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, pointing out that the Congress had been out of power in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu for decades.

Student leaders, activists join opposition discussions

Student leaders and civil society representatives have already participated in discussions with INDIA bloc leaders. At the alliance’s previous gathering at Rahul Gandhi’s Sunehri Bagh Road residence, All India Students’ Association (AISA) president Neha Bora and Students’ Federation of India (SFI) leader Aishe Ghosh were invited, along with civil society activists Yogendra Yadav and advocate Prashant Bhushan. Bora was also invited to address the press.

Two days later, Gandhi met leaders of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) and the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) who had been injured during the protests or had cases registered against them.

The rally is expected to be coordinated through a committee comprising 10-15 leaders, primarily based in Delhi. CPI(ML) Liberation chief Dipankar Bhattacharya said the arrangements were still being worked out.

“These details are being worked out. A coordination committee will be set up soon to oversee the plans for the protests and chalk out the details,” Bhattacharya said.

The proposed committee is expected to meet regularly to finalise the protest programme and oversee preparations.

CJP’s participation yet to be decided

It remains unclear whether the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) will be formally invited to the November 1 rally. The Congress’s position towards the outfit has evolved over the past two weeks, from describing it as a front for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to Rahul Gandhi acknowledging its protests against the Chief Election Commissioner.

CJP activists were arrested after allegedly attempting to enter the denotified Jantar Mantar protest site to unfurl the Tricolour. Gandhi subsequently backed their right to demonstrate in a post on X.

“Waving the Tricolour at Jantar Mantar in a peaceful protest is not a crime. Jailing youth for it is an act of cowardice. Students. Youth. Journalists. The INDIA bloc. Different banners, one cause. All protests are one: citizens demanding their constitutional rights. Jantar Mantar belongs to the people of India. We will reclaim it,” Gandhi wrote.

Asked whether the CJP would be part of the rally, O’Brien said everyone was welcome.

The CJP’s participation comes amid continued protests by the outfit and its demand for Kumar’s removal. The party has also called for the release of its activists, including Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, who were detained after the Jantar Mantar incident.

Delhi Police grants permission for Ramlila Maidan rally

The Delhi Police granted the Congress permission on Saturday to hold the November 1 demonstration at Ramlila Maidan and issued a no-objection certificate for the event. The party has reserved the venue from October 25 to November 3.

The clearance follows the Delhi Police’s decision to remove Jantar Mantar from the list of designated protest sites and identify alternative venues, including Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground and CBD Ground in Shahdara.

CPI(M) chief MA Baby said the November 1 gathering was part of the INDIA bloc’s collective decision and that the alliance was considering additional forms of protest.

“This is the decision that we have taken in the consultative meeting of INDIA bloc, which we had... We hope this 1st November rally would be a resounding success. We are also considering various other options apart from this November 1st rally. So, we will have consultation among INDIA bloc forces, parties...,” Baby said.

The alliance is expected to finalise the rally’s arrangements and further protest plans through the proposed coordination committee.