New Delhi, Oct 29 (IANS) Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday said the mega INDIA bloc protest, slated for November 1 at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, was very much on track, adding that the Opposition parties have taken up the task to “awaken the people” against the autocratic regime.

Kharge’s remarks came after multiple trade associations requested Rahul Gandhi to reschedule the Opposition’s ‘Chalo Delhi march’.

The march is being organised by the Congress-led INDIA bloc to protest the alleged vote theft and irregularities in the SIR exercise being conducted by the Election Commission.

Kharge, speaking to reporters, said, “Our protest is continuing because of the vote theft and the mischief that Gyanesh Kumar has done in the Election Commission. We are protesting against that and will continue to do so. All parties are supporting us.”

He said that the fight was to awaken the people against the government’s misdeeds and its alleged attempts to deprive many voters of their genuine rights.

“Even tomorrow, there is a mock parliament, and on 1st November, we are organising this, which will see people converging from across the country. We will fight because in a democracy, unless you fight, people will not be awakened. So, that’s why we are doing all that,” he said.

Notably, traders in the national capital have in the past few days raised apprehensions about the fallout of such a big rally on business during the festive season and pleaded for its postponement, explaining how it would ruin the business climate and adversely impact their livelihood.

Early this morning, the Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, urged people to participate in the protest march at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, describing it as a “movement to save democracy, stop alleged vote theft and protect the Constitution”.

In a video message posted in Hindi on his X handle, Rahul Gandhi said the march was not for any particular party but for protecting the soul of India.

The Congress MP also appealed to student groups across political affiliations to come forward and participate, claiming that democratic freedoms and individual expression were under threat.

–IANS

mr/dpb