With just weeks to go for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, leaders of the Opposition coalition known as the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) came together to put on a show of strength in a "Loktantra Bachao" rally that was held at New Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on Sunday, 31 March.
The INDIA rally comes days after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the alleged liquor excise policy scam.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief's wife Sunita Kejriwal relayed a message which said, "If you give opportunity to INDIA bloc, we'll build a great nation." "Mother India is in pain, this tyranny won't work," she added.
Top INDIA bloc leaders such as Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi as well as J&K National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SCP) chief Sharad Pawar, Communist Party of India (Marxist) chief Sitaram Yechury, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann are in attendance at the rally, among others.
Kalpana Soren, the wife of ex-Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, also addressed the rally on behalf of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief who is in ED custody in connection with an alleged land scam.
"This historic 'sankalp sabha' is being organised today against dictatorship (in the country). I thank everyone who has come here today, this will only strengthen the INDIA alliance," she said.
'Match-Fixing Being Done by PM Modi': Rahul Gandhi
"Have you heard of match-fixing? When by pressuring the umpire, buying the player, scaring the captain, the match is won. This election – Narendra Modi chose the umpires – this 400 seat slogan of his is not possible without fixing EVMs, pressuring the media and social media," Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said while addressing the INDIA rally at Ramlila Maidan on Sunday.
"Our bank accounts have been frozen. We don’t have resources... Leaders are threatened, government are toppled…this is an attempt at match-fixing. This match-fixing is being done by Narendra Modi and a few businessmen," he said.
"If you do not vote with all your heart, their match-fixing will succeed. The day it succeeds, our Constitution will be finished. The day that happens, India’s heart will be dealt a huge blow," Rahul Gandhi said at the INDIA rally.
"If they (BJP) change the Constitution, the entire country will be on fire. This election is not about votes. It's about saving the Constitution. [...] This match-fixing (by BJP) is being done to snatch the Constitution of the country from the hands of its people," Gandhi said.
"The day the Constitution is gone, India will not be able to survive... This is their target… They think that without the Constitution, the country can be run through police, threats, coercion," he added.
"Election Commissioners were put in place by Narendra Modi, two CMs were jailed, our accounts were sealed – why couldn’t this be done six months later and not just before the elections?" he questioned.
"But there is no power in the world which can suppress the voice of the people of India," the Congress leader asserted.
'We Will Build New India': Arvind Kejriwal's Message From Jail
"I am not asking for votes today... I invite 140 crore Indians to make a new India... India is a great nation with thousands of years old civilisation... I think about Mother India from inside the jail and she is in pain... Let's make a new India... If INDIA Alliance is given an opportunity, we will build a new India," Arvind Kejriwal was quoted as saying by his wife Sunita Kejriwal.
"I present 6 guarantees on behalf of INDIA Alliance. First, there will be no power cuts in the whole country. Second, electricity would be free for the poor people. Third, we will make government schools in every village. Fourth, we will make Mohalla Clinics in every village. We will make a multi-speciality government hospital in every district. Everyone would get free treatment. Fifth, farmers would be given the correct price for the crops. Sixth, the people of Delhi have faced injustice for 75 years... We will give statehood to Delhi... We will complete these 6 guarantees in 5 years. I have made all the planning from where the money for these guarantees will come," Kejriwal further said in his message from behind bars.
Punjab CM and AAP leader Bhagwant Mann
(Screenshot: YouTube/@IndianNationalCongress)
"You can arrest Arvind Kejriwal, but how will you arrest his ideology. In which jail will you send the lakhs of Kejriwals that are born in India. Arvind Kejriwal is not a person, Arvind Kejriwal is the name of an ideology... Today, the INDIA Alliance is together. But they don't want us to be together..." Punjab CM and AAP leader Bhagwant Mann said in his speech at the INDIA rally on Sunday.
'Sea of People Proves There Is Opposition': Kalpana Soren
Kalpana Soren, wife of jailed JMM leader and former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren.
(Screenshot: YouTube/@IndianNationalCongress)
"I am standing in front of you as the voice of 50 per cent of India's women population and 9 percent of the tribal community...Today this gathering in this historic ground is testifying that you all have come from every part of the country to end the dictatorship...," Kalpana Soren, the wife of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
"We are doing this to save the democracy of our country. The INDIA Alliance parties are garnering here and through this, we want to tell the people of the nation and those who have gathered here today that you have to come forward to fight for your democracy...," she said.
"The people of the country are bigger than any political party or leader…strengthen the INDIA alliance by voting for us to save democracy," Kalpana Soren said while addressing the gathering in Delhi's Ramlila Maidan.
'This sea of people today proves that there is opposition to the tyrannical powers have decided to destroy the country," she added.
"Our strength is the 140 crore people of this country.. today, the NDA govt is destroying the guarantees of Baba Ambedkar’s constitution," Kalpana Soren further said.
'Modi Will Meet Bill Gates, Not Farmers': Tejashwi Yadav
"The way Modiji came like an aandhi, he will be uprooted like a toofan. We have come here today to save democracy and the Constitution. Politics of hatred is being done and those who say '400 paar' can say what they want to, but it is the people who will decide," Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav said while addressing the gathering at Ramlila Maidan.
"There is an undeclared emergency in the country…these people have become arrogant. The biggest enemy of the country is unemployment and inflation. Modiji will meet Priyanka Chopra but not farmers. He will meet Bill Gates but not the farmers," Yadav said.
Hitting out at the BJP, Yadav further said, "They say 400 paar, it seems like EVMs have been set". Modi ji’s guarantee are like Chinese maal: it becomes defunct soon. Don’t believe their lies," he added.
"The ED, CBI and IT are the cells of the BJP. Lalu Ji has been harassed a lot of times. There have been cases against me. My mother, my sisters, my brother-in-law, all the relatives of my father, there were cases against everyone... Many of our leaders are being raided currently. ED, IT raids are underway. But we are not going to be scared... We will struggle. Only lions are caged. All of us are lions... We are fighting for you..." Tejashwi Yadav said.
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav
(Screenshot: YouTube/@IndianNationalCongress)
"You sent CM Hemant Soren, CM Arvind Kejriwal to jail… not only the people of India but the people of the world are looking down upon India for that," Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav said while addressing the rally.
'Form SIT To Probe Electoral Bonds': Priyanka Gandhi
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi
(Screenshot: YouTube/@IndianNationalCongress)
"INDIA Alliance has 5 demands. The Election Commission should ensure equal opportunity in the Lok Sabha elections. Second, the ECI should stop the forceful action against the Opposition taken by the ED, CBI and IT. Third, Hemant Soren and Arvind Kejriwal should be released immediately. Fourth, attempts to weaken the Opposition financially should be stopped. Fifth, an SIT should be formed to investigate the funds raised by the BJP through electoral bonds," Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said at the rally.
I think that they (BJP) are trapped in illusion. I want to remind them of a thousand-year-old tale and its message. When Lord Ram was fighting for the truth, He did not have power or resources, He did not even have a chariot. Ravan had a chariot, resources, an army and gold. Lord Ram had the truth, hope, faith, modesty, patience and courage..." she added.
'Not a Level-Playing Field': Mallikarjun Kharge
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge
(Screenshot: YouTube/@IndianNationalCongress)
"Modi is digging up the entire field and asking us to play cricket there…it is not a level playing field at all," said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge while addressing the gathering at Ramlila Maidan.
"This is not for just Hemant, Kejriwal, or any one person but for 140 crore people...We might have differences, we might fight against each other in different states, but here we have come together for a larger cause…" he said.
"We will fight and teach the BJP that people have had enough…don’t believe in any undercurrent; they say 400 paar, it will not even be 400..." Kharge added.
'TMC Was, Is, and Will Be Part of INDIA': Derek O'Brien
TMC leader Derek O'Brien
(Screenshot: YouTube/@IndianNationalCongress)
Reiterating that the All India Trinamool Congress was "very much" a part of the INDIA alliance, TMC leader Derek O'Brien said, "This is a fight of BJP versus democracy."
"We have two empty chairs on the stage: Mr Kejriwal and Mr Soren, you are with us in spirit," he said.
"This is a fight between BJP and India democracy. Modi guarantee is zero warranty: zero warranty when it comes to employment, inflation, protecting the people’s institutions," he added.
O'Brien also demanded that a white paper be put out on the 2019 Pulwama attack, one of the deadliest terror attacks on India's security forces leading to the deaths of over 44 CRPF jawans.
'Press the Button To Remove This Govt: Farooq Abdullah
J&K National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah
(Screenshot: YouTube/@IndianNationalCongress)
"Today we have a common purpose: to save the Constitution. Even the CJI is being threatened," J&K National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah said, while addressing the rally.
ll the arrested leaders like Arvind Kejriwal and Hemant Soren would be free when all of you would hold onto the Constitution. At the time of elections, press the button that would remove this government... All of us have to come together and walk together... We are never going to leave this alliance..." he added.
J&K PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti
(Screenshot: YouTube/@IndianNationalCongress)
"Today, the country is going through some tough times. People are being jailed without any investigation. This is 'Kalyug ka Amrit Kaal'. I am not talking about Umar Khalid or Mohammad Zubair, I am talking about your elected representatives. It is not surprising to me. Myself, Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah, all three former CMs are under house arrest. The one who violates the law is a traitor," Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti was quoted as saying at the rally by news agency ANI.
CPI(M) chief Sitaram Yechury
(Screenshot: YouTube/@IndianNationalCongress)
Meanwhile, CPI(M) chief Sitaram Yechury slammed the central government over issues such as corruption and unemployment, saying that "if we want to rid the country of these, we have to rid it of this government. We have to defeat communal faces if we want to save this country."
What Was the Main Theme of the INDIA Rally?
The Congress party on Saturday, 30 March, had claimed that the rally is not being organised in support of any one individual.
Addressing a press conference at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters, the Congress general secretary incharge of communications Jairam Ramesh said that all political parties of INDIA will be involved and their leaders will address the rally. He said that it is to ‘save the democracy rally and the Constitution’ and has been named as ‘Save Democracy Rally’.
He said that rising prices, highest unemployment rate in last 45 years, economic disparities as rich are getting richer and poor getting poorer while the benefit of progress is going to a select few only, polarisation of the society and atrocities on farmers will be among the main issues to be raised in the rally.
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