New Delhi: Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday stepped up his attack on Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that electoral manipulation was being carried out at the highest levels and warning that the Opposition would continue its agitation until the poll panel chief resigned or was removed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The remarks came ahead of the INDIA bloc's planned 'Dilli Chalo' march and public gathering at Ramlila Maidan on November 1, amid an intensifying political confrontation over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Addressing the 'Vote Adhikar Jeene Ka Adhikar' Jan Sunwai in New Delhi, Gandhi accused the authorities of systematically removing economically disadvantaged citizens from voter lists, claiming that the exercise was undermining their constitutional rights.

“The entire Opposition stands united on this issue. The vote is the fundamental right of every Indian citizen. Yet, across India, this right--their vote--is being systematically snatched away from crores of people,” Gandhi said.

“We have been raising this issue for a long time, but now the entire country is beginning to understand that top level se vote chori ho rahi hain (vote theft is being orchestrated right from the top level),” he added.

The Congress leader alleged that the removal of names from electoral rolls was part of a larger effort to concentrate political and economic power in the hands of a select group of wealthy individuals.

“Poor people are being deliberately struck off the voter lists, and their rights and entitlements are being stripped away. Why? To create 'Naya Hindustan' (New India)--India belonging to a handful of chosen billionaires, where ordinary citizens have no rights, where the poor have no rights, and where the country is run solely for billionaires,” he said.

Gandhi maintained that the Opposition was united in its demand for accountability from the Election Commission and would not withdraw its campaign against the alleged irregularities.

Kharge accuses Modi, Shah of shielding CEC

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also targeted the Centre, accusing Prime Minister Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of attempting to suppress the movement against alleged electoral malpractice.

In a post on X, Kharge questioned why the government was defending the Chief Election Commissioner despite the allegations raised by Opposition parties.

“As more skeletons tumble out of the Election Commission’s cupboard, exposing Vote Chori, Modi-Shah are trying hard to suppress the people's movement! Why are they protecting CEC Gyanesh Kumar?” Kharge wrote.

“This diversionary tactics and bogus propaganda is only discrediting Modi Govt, and tarnishing our Democracy! INDIA shall continue our democratic struggle to protect every citizen’s vote and our Constitution!” he added.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and AICC observer Pallam Raju said the party's concerns were not limited to the ongoing SIR exercise but extended to the broader functioning of the electoral system.

Speaking at a press conference at the KPCC office, Raju raised questions about the handling of electronic voting machines, voter-verifiable paper audit trails and changes to electoral rolls.

“For years, Congress has been raising its voice against the weakening of elections, electoral irregularities, handling of EVMs and VVPATs, and recent changes being made to voter lists,” he said.

“The Congress party's main demand is that there should be transparency and accountability at every stage of the election process,” Raju added.

Traders seek postponement of November 1 rally

The Opposition's planned demonstration has also drawn objections from sections of Delhi's business community, with traders expressing concern over possible disruptions during the festive shopping season.

The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) has urged Opposition leaders to postpone the November 1 gathering, citing the potential impact of traffic restrictions, barricades and metro station closures on commercial activity.

Trade representatives warned that restrictions around central Delhi could affect major shopping destinations, including Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazar and Karol Bagh, during the period surrounding Dhanteras, Diwali and Bhai Dooj.

However, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit questioned the argument that the rally would significantly harm commercial activity across the capital.

He contended that the gathering would be restricted to a particular area and that the arrival of large numbers of participants could generate additional business for small traders and street vendors.

"It is fine if the traders are appealing. First of all, this rally is confined to a specific area, so I do not understand how it will impact overall trade across the city. Secondly, when 1,000,000 people arrive, the street vendors will sell their samosas, and roadside water vendors will sell their bottles. Are they not traders? Or are only shop owners considered traders? When someone arrives at the station, they will buy food on the way; someone else will go to a small shop to buy chips. They are also traders. Those 800,000 to 1,000,000 people who attend will also purchase goods,” he said.

Congress leader Hussain Dalwai also criticised the business community's objections, urging traders to question the government over alleged electoral irregularities instead of opposing public demonstrations.

He claimed that 13 crore people had been deprived of their voting rights, an allegation that was not independently substantiated in the supplied report.

"The business community should stop sycophancy toward the government and instead exert pressure on the government. The way the government is functioning, it is the right of the people to protest now. And why do people protest? Do they protest just like that? Do they do it to cause trouble to the business community? Everyone has the right to vote in the elections, but this very right has been snatched away to prove a point. The rights of 13 crore people have been stripped away, and the business community should speak up about this. If you want to exert pressure, bring it upon the government. You are the ones who brought this government to power; now pull it down,” he said.

BJP questions timing of Opposition protest

The BJP, meanwhile, accused Rahul Gandhi of disregarding the concerns of traders and using the festive period to advance the Congress's political agenda.

BJP leader Nalin Kohli criticised Gandhi's response to the business community, saying traders were seeking an uninterrupted festive shopping season rather than being drawn into political demands.

"... One doesn't know where Rahul Gandhi has tweeted this from, whether he is still abroad on vacation or has returned. The larger issue is that traders are appealing to him, but he is asking them to do his work by demanding a resignation. The traders want to celebrate Diwali without disrupting their businesses and want their customers to move freely. Rahul Gandhi ji's politics is very strange. What is his demand and what is his desire, he is now asking traders to take up the issue. What they have to say is best asked of them,” he said.

Former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh also appealed to Gandhi to reconsider the date of the demonstration, arguing that postponing it by a few days would help avoid inconvenience to traders.

"Delhi’s traders had made a request, noting that Diwali is a major festival—celebrated with great joy and a time when shopkeepers see a significant surge in sales. They requested that the rally not be held before Diwali, but rather a day or two later. It is now up to Rahul Gandhi’s own judgment whether or not he can grasp the distress of these traders—a distress he ought to acknowledge. What difference does a gap of two or four days make? If the rally is held on that specific day, will it lead to the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar?” Singh said.

BJP chief attacks Kharge over remark against Modi

The political confrontation escalated further after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge made a controversial remark about Prime Minister Modi during a public address.

According to the report, a person at the event said that Modi would not go anywhere, prompting Kharge to respond, “Modi ka baap bhi jayega.”

BJP national president Nitin Nabin condemned the remark, accusing the Congress leadership of repeatedly making personal attacks against the Prime Minister and his family.

"You can see the frustration and desperation of the Congress. Whenever they get desperate, they resort to insulting the mother and father of Modi ji. I want to tell the Congress national president that it is because of these very values that Congress is heading towards doom. If they still don't learn, there won't be anyone left to even take the name of Congress."

The BJP has also announced a counter-campaign titled 'Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy', targeting Opposition protests and allegations surrounding electoral roll revisions.

Congress plans October 30 proceedings against CEC

The Congress has scheduled a public proceeding resembling an impeachment hearing against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on October 30, ahead of the November 1 'Dilli Chalo' march.

The planned gathering at Ramlila Maidan is expected to bring together Opposition leaders and supporters as part of their campaign against alleged electoral irregularities.

The developments signal a further escalation in the confrontation between the ruling BJP and the Opposition over the SIR exercise, the Election Commission's functioning and the right to vote.

The allegations of organised vote theft and deliberate disenfranchisement remain claims made by Opposition leaders and have not been independently established in the supplied report.