INDIA bloc rally LIVE | Priyanka lists 5 demands of alliance

The Opposition INDIA bloc on Sunday urged the Election Commission to ensure a level-playing field in the Lok Sabha polls and asserted that despite the BJP creating “undemocratic obstacles’, the alliance is committed to fight, win and save the country’s democracy.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra read out the demands of the Opposition alliance at the ‘Loktantra Bachao Rally’.

She said the Election Commission should ensure a level playing field for all parties in Lok Sabha elections.

The poll panel should stop the Enforcement Directorate, CBI and the Income Tax department’s actions against opposition parties being taken to adversely impact the elections, the Congress leader demanded, adding that former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal be immediately released.

During the elections, action to forcefully scuttle the finances of opposition parties should be immediately stopped, she said, reading out the INDIA bloc’s demands at the rally.

The opposition alliance also demanded that a Supreme Court-monitored SIT be set to probe the BJP's “extortion” of funds through the electoral bonds scheme.

Last month, the Supreme Court annulled the electoral bonds scheme for political funding, saying it violates the Constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression as well as the right to information.

Addressing the rally, Priyanka Gandhi said that despite the BJP creating "undemocratic obstacles", the INDIA bloc was committed to fighting, winning, and saving democracy in India.

In her remarks before reading out the INDIA bloc’s demands, she said, “I have been coming to Ramlila Maidan since childhood. Every year, Ravan’s effigy is set on fire…. When I was a kid, I used to come (here) with my grandmother Indira Ji and she used to narrate the Ramayana to me. Those in power today call themselves Ram Bhakts. When I was sitting here, I thought that I should say something to them. I want to remind them of the 1,000-year-old tale and its message.

“When Lord Ram fought for truth, he did not have power, resources or even a chariot. Ravan had chariots, resources, army and gold but Lord Ram had truth, hope, belief, love, kindness, modesty, patience, courage and truth. I want to tell those in power and PM Narendra Modi that the message of Lord Ram’s life is that power is not permanent... and arrogance gets shattered.”

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday described the RSS-BJP combine as a “poison” that has “destroyed’ the country, and called on all Opposition parties to unite to defeat the ruling party in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

This election is to save democracy, the country and the Constitution, he said at ‘Loktantra Bachao’ rally. “We need to unite and only then will we be able to fight the BJP. We won’t succeed if we keep attacking and fighting each other,” Kharge said.

“This election is for saving democracy and the Constitution and we must fight unitedly,” he said.

Training his guns at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kharge said, “There is no level-playing field in this election. PM Modi has dug up the ground and is asking the opposition to play cricket there.” He said he told BJP chief JP Nadda at a recent meeting that this election is “not fair” as the Congress’s funds have already been “stolen”.

“The BJP and the RSS are like poison; even if you taste it you will die. They have destroyed the country and they should not be allowed to destroy it further,” the Congress chief added.

Kharge said the country cannot prosper until Modi and his ideology are removed.

He also accused the prime minister of misusing institutions to threaten opposition parties and its leaders, and toppling their governments to form BJP governments.

“All friends are welcome to the Save Democracy Rally being held at the historic Ramlila Maidan. This platform of ours is a symbol of Unity in Diversity. INDIA is gathered in Ramlila Maidan. Will fight till last breath to save democracy and constitution.

“Modiji made every illegitimate effort to prevent the opposition from gathering. First put pressure on Hemant Soren to join BJP. When he did not agree, he was arrested. Meanwhile, attempts were also made to topple the governments of Jharkhand and Himachal.

“After all this, a total of 12 accounts of the Congress Party were frozen. Notice after notice are being sent. Where a penalty of Rs 135 crore is imposed on the cash deposit of Rs 14 lakh of the Congress Party. At the same time, no action is taken on BJP's deposit of Rs 42 crore. According to Rs 42 crore, a penalty of Rs 4600 crore should be imposed on BJP.

“Meanwhile, a case of recovery of about ₹ Rs 8,250 crore by BJP in the electoral bond scam came to light. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested to suppress the news of Modiji's scam. After the revelation of the biggest ever election donation scam, the reality of BJP is in front of the whole world. Money was collected by threatening ED and CBI. From whom Chandalia, he was given projects worth thousands of crores. What can we call this if it is not robbery or dacoity?

“The scheme which BJP brings in the name of Transparency turns out to be SCAM. Even Electoral Bond and PM CARES were made scams. CAG exposed huge scams in many departments of Modi government. No one was caught, no investigation was done. ED, IT, CBI remain silent for years. They become allies of NDA in the Legislative Assembly or Lok Sabha elections. ED/I-T/CBI is only taking revenge on opposition leaders. They play the most important role in bringing down opposition governments. The files of criminals of the ruling party and those who join BJP from other parties are closed.

“Fair elections are the soul of democracy. It is most important to have a level playing field for all political parties. INDIA alliance will continue to raise the fundamental questions of the country in these elections. Modiji’s dark deeds of 10 years will be accounted for in these elections.”

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, speaking at the IDIA bloc rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of trying to do “match-fixing” in the Lok Sabha polls and asserted that if the BJP succeeds in its endeavours, the country’s Constitution will be changed and people’s rights taken away.

The former Congress chief said the 2024 Lok Sabha polls were not any ordinary election but one to save the country’s democracy and Constitution.

“When pressure is put on umpires and the captain, players are bought off and the match is won, in cricket, it is called match-fixing. We have Lok Sabha polls before us. Who selected the umpires? Before the match started, two players were arrested... Narendra Modi is trying to do match-fixing in these polls,” Gandhi said.

The BJP is raising the slogan of getting 400 seats, but without EVMs, match-fixing, pressure on opposition leaders and buying media, they will not be able to cross even 180 seats, he claimed.

Rahul said the Congress is the biggest opposition party and all its accounts have been frozen.

“Two chief ministers were arrested. What kind of election is this,” Rahul said, adding, “Match-fixing is being done by PM Modi along with three-four billionaires. This is being done to snatch the Constitution from the poor.”

The Constitution is the voice of the people and the day it is finished, this country will be finished, he asserted, adding if the Constitution goes, the rights of the poor and reservation will also go.

“A BJP MP said, ‘We will change the Constitution when we get over 400 seats.’ It was not said just like that, it was to test the idea,” Rahul said, referring to Anantkumar Hegde’s remark about amending the Constitution.

“They think the country can be run with the threats and intimidation of police, CBI and ED... You can buy media and suppress them but you cannot suppress the voice of India. No force in this world can suppress this voice of people,” the former Congress chief said.

He claimed that if the BJP wins the election through match-fixing and changes the Constitution, then the country would be “on fire”.

“This election is not just about votes; it is to save the country and the Constitution,” Rahul asserted.