Thousands of opposition supporters have taken to the streets of the Indian capital, Delhi, in one of the biggest protests against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government in years. The rally, organized by the opposition INDIA alliance and led by the Congress Party, focused on opposing the revision of electoral rolls, a process that has removed more than 130 million names from voter lists.
The opposition claims that the process, known as the "Special Intensive Review," could disenfranchise millions of citizens and that the deletions have disproportionately affected religious minorities, especially Muslims. According to opposition leaders, the way the review is being carried out could give an electoral advantage to the Bharatiya Janata Party, which runs the country under Modi's leadership.
During the protest, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accusing him of violating the right of citizens to vote. "He has committed the biggest crime. He has tried to silence the voice of the people and suffocate our country," Gandhi said, warning that the opposition would not allow democracy to be destroyed. He also addressed Prime Minister Modi with the message: "You have nowhere to go."
The opposition has demanded not only Kumar's resignation but also the initiation of impeachment proceedings. On the other hand, the Election Commission and the BJP have rejected the allegations of political manipulation, arguing that the process is aimed at cleaning the lists of names of deceased persons, double registrations and voters who do not meet the criteria.
Sunday's protest comes after weeks of mobilization and growing dissatisfaction with Modi's government, in power since 2014. Youth movements have also played an important role in this wave of protests, especially the satirical group "Cockroach", which emerged over the summer and organized protests that, according to reports, led to the resignation of a cabinet minister.
The movement returned to the streets last month, also opposing the revision of the electoral rolls. The mobilization of young people seems to have given more impetus to the Congress Party and the opposition alliance, although there remains a lack of trust between traditional political groups and young activists.
Although leaders of the "Cockroaches" movement expressed support for the rally in Delhi, they did not personally participate in the protest. Meanwhile, election authorities continue to defend the review process, as the clash between the government and the opposition over voting rights is becoming one of the main political debates in India.
