Politics

Congress Declares It Will Proceed with November 1 Rally Despite Police Interference

By Pragati Chawla

The Congress party announced on Tuesday that it will carry out its planned curtain‑raiser for the November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan, even after Delhi Police halted preparations. KC Venugopal, a Congress leader, questioned the police’s refusal to grant permission, saying, “How many permissions will you deny, Mr. Amit Shah? How many people will you stop?” He added that the party would not rest until Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar is removed. Venugopal described the October 30 event as a “public impeachment” of Kumar, with 21 opposition parties participating. The November 1 rally and march at Ramlila Maidan are part of the opposition’s campaign against voter deletions and irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The party first sought permission to hold the programme at Hotel Ashoka, but the police intervened after the venue initially indicated it could host the event. The Congress then booked Ramlila Maidan for the period between October 25 and November 3, and preparations were stopped when party workers arrived to set up for the curtain‑raiser. Venugopal said, “First, they denied us permission to use the Ashoka Hotel lawns. Then they came here and told us that we could not hold the programme. This means that the decision is not really that of the Delhi Police. It is the decision of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah.” He accused the government of suppressing ordinary voices and targeting political parties, stating that the Congress would not succumb to pressure. “If they stop us here, we will go to Amit Shah’s house, Modi’s house, and stage a massive dharna there,” Venugopal said. The November 1 rally is part of the Congress and INDIA bloc’s broader “Save the Vote, Save the Country” campaign. Rahul Gandhi has urged people to join the march, alleging unlawful removal of names from voter lists and violations of electoral rules.