In response to the rally organized at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan by the INDIA bloc against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral irregularities, the Bharatiya Janata Party mounted counter-demonstrations across several states on November 1. Conducting rallies under the banner of 'Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy', the party accused opposition leaders of actively undermining constitutional bodies and creating instability by casting doubt on the sanctity of the electoral system.
Himanta Biswa Sarma Leads Shimla Demonstration, Challenges Opposition on Electoral Double Standards
In Himachal Pradesh's capital Shimla, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma spearheaded a large protest march attended by numerous party workers, designed to culminate in a public gathering at Chaura Maidan. Speaking during the event, the Assam Chief Minister launched a direct attack on the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi.
Himanta Biswa Sarma asked whether the assembly election results in Himachal Pradesh and Kerala should be annulled, and further questioned whether Rahul Gandhi's own electoral victory in Raebareli ought to be discarded. He stated that governments in states currently administered by the Congress party should step down first before demanding any resignations from the ruling coalition.
He further remarked that if the Congress party considers the electoral process compromised, it should boycott upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh and declare that vote theft took place there as well. He observed that the opposition finds the voting apparatus completely sound in regions where it secures power, yet detects widespread irregularities in territories where the BJP emerges victorious.
Demanding that Rahul Gandhi resign his parliamentary seat, he highlighted that the opposition leader entered the Lok Sabha in 2024 through the very same EVM system. He emphasized that citizens are gathering in significant numbers during these nationwide rallies, communicating that sheltering infiltrators is unacceptable and that illegal elements must depart the nation.
Anurag Thakur and Nitin Nabin Criticize Opposition Strategy
Participating in the foot march in Shimla, BJP MP Anurag Thakur accused the Congress party of manufacturing chaos specifically to derail national economic and social progress. He asserted that the opposition deliberately chose November 1 to target constitutional values, pointing out that the date coincides with the 1984 Sikh massacre.
The parliamentarian further claimed that Rahul Gandhi is attempting to bring about regime change in the country by securing foreign backing, adding that such efforts will not materialize because the electorate understands the political theater behind these actions. In Haryana, another substantial demonstration took place in Rohtak under the leadership of BJP National President Nitin Nabin.
Mahayuti Leadership Stages Show of Strength in Thane
In Maharashtra's Thane district, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde joined the counter-protest rally. Addressing reporters, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde claimed that the opposition's hostility stems from the significant governance milestones achieved by the present administration.
Eknath Shinde stated that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has decisively curbed Naxalite violence, a success that has unsettled political opponents. He accused opposition figures of functioning as mouthpieces for external interests and attempting to divide society, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues to focus on national integration.
Directing his criticism at Rahul Gandhi, the Deputy Chief Minister noted that opposition leaders carry copies of the Constitution while simultaneously staging demonstrations against the Supreme Court and the Election Commission and branding EVMs as instruments of electoral deceit. He raised the question of whether lawmakers from Congress-ruled states, who were also elected via electronic voting machines, hold invalid mandates.
Defense of Democratic Framework and Institutional Integrity
Maharashtra BJP President Ravindra Chavan noted that widespread public participation in the rallies reflects a collective resolve to protect the democratic order. He stated that institutional bodies created under the Constitution serve as the bedrock of governance and are facing coordinated attempts to diminish their credibility. He explained that this concern prompted the Mahayuti alliance to organize the mobilization in Thane.
Adding to the criticism, Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske accused the INDIA bloc of devising fresh ploys each day against Prime Minister Narendra Modi to obstruct infrastructural and national growth. He remarked that Rahul Gandhi persistently refuses to honor the democratic mandate delivered by voters through constitutional means, pointing to repeated parliamentary disruptions and public protests questioning the judiciary as evidence of this pattern.
