I.N.D.I.A. Plans Nationwide Stir Over ‘vote Theft’

New Delhi: The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A.) on Wednesday announced a nationwide movement against alleged “vote chori”, or vote theft, beginning October 2, and sought the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The bloc plans to hold five major rallies across the country during October and November, including one at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on November 1.

Leaders of 20 parties participated in the meeting and expressed a unanimous resolve to fight alleged electoral manipulation, which they said threatened India’s democratic structure and the Constitution.

Briefing reporters after the three-and-a-half-hour meeting, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the parties were united in their resolve to fight electoral and democratic subversion.

He also called for replacing electronic voting machines with ballot papers.

Kharge said “Save Democracy” marches and protest demonstrations would be held in every district from October 2 to 8 to raise public awareness about alleged vote theft.

On October 6, Opposition MPs from both Houses of Parliament would march to the Election Commission’s headquarters, he said.

The leaders had considered marching there on Wednesday but deferred the plan to ensure the participation of all Opposition MPs.

He also demanded the repeal of all laws passed by what he called the “chori ki sarkar”.

Opposition leaders would seek an appointment with President Droupadi Murmu in the second week of October to submit a representation, Kharge said.

They would brief her on what they described as constitutional hurdles created by the government and the formation of governments through alleged vote theft.

Dates and venues for the other rallies would be announced later.

The bloc is also expected to petition the Supreme Court against provisions of a 2023 law granting immunity to the CEC.

The proposal was made by independent MP Kapil Sibal and agreed to by the participants.

Kharge said the leaders had appealed to the Supreme Court to expedite cases concerning the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and alleged electoral malpractices.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi expressed satisfaction with the meeting, saying all parties agreed that the BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Kumar had attacked the country’s democratic structure.

“We are not going to take it lying down, and we are going to ensure that the people who have destroyed Indian democracy are punished.

It doesn’t matter who they are.

Indian democracy is bigger than every single person in the country,” he said.

Gandhi claimed that the Opposition had successfully conveyed to the public its allegation that elections were being rigged by Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah.

“There is a new sense of resistance among people, particularly among the young, that what is happening is wrong and it needs to be corrected,” he said.

“Opposition parties are the collective defenders of the Indian Constitution and it is an honour for us to work together.

We will bring about serious changes in the country in the next few months,” he added.

TMC chief Mamata Banerjee said the Opposition was united against alleged vote theft in Bihar, West Bengal, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, and during the 2024 general election.

“But now it has been exposed that Gyanesh Kumar is a ‘daaku’. He stole people's votes... Therefore, Gyanesh Kumar must resign immediately,” she alleged.

“If Gyanesh Kumar does not resign, we people will launch a massive movement from ‘mitti to aasmaan’ (from the ground to the sky). We will fight, we will win... We will protect democracy and the Constitution,” she said.

The leaders also discussed moving a motion seeking Kumar’s removal.

The meeting at the Constitution Club was attended by Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Gandhi, Banerjee, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, Mr Sibal and Left leaders.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Jharkhand Chief Minister and JMM chief Hemant Soren participated online.