The opposition INDIA bloc has called for a major protest in New Delhi on Monday to defend people’s voting rights and protect the Constitution. All India Congress Committee General Secretary K. C. Venugopal announced the programme while speaking to journalists in Alappuzha, Kerala, on Saturday (October 10).

Venugopal said the protest was part of the ongoing struggle to safeguard the Constitution and people’s right to vote. He said senior leaders of the alliance had already met the President to express their concerns over the issue. They are also scheduled to meet the Chief Justice of India on Monday, he added.

At the press conference, Venugopal strongly criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah over what he described as attempts to shield Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

He alleged that the effort to protect the election commissioner would ultimately lead to the downfall of Modi and Shah.

“Prime Minister Modi appears to be on the brink of collapse,” Venugopal claimed, adding that the prime minister was afraid of the opposition’s movement.

He also criticised the government’s measures in Delhi ahead of Saturday’s protest. Alleging that the authorities had effectively imposed a lockdown to prevent the demonstration, he claimed that metro stations and rail links connecting Delhi with other parts of the country had been shut down and thousands of armed police personnel deployed.

Venugopal said the Congress and the INDIA bloc would continue their struggle until a free and fair electoral system was established.

He also said the party was closely monitoring the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Kerala. In addition, he drew attention to a recent controversy over the appearance of the BJP’s lotus symbol on Election Commission letterhead.