Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], October 30 (ANI): Setting the stage for the upcoming nationwide opposition mobilisation, Communist Party of India (CPI) General Secretary D Raja on Friday criticised the central government’s administrative restrictions on public demonstrations, asserting that the right to dissent is a foundational constitutional guarantee that cannot be suppressed.
Speaking in Chennai to ANI regarding the preparations for the upcoming joint opposition demonstration, Raja emphasised that the scheduled November 1 mega-rally at New Delhi's Ramlila Maidan is a unified, pan-alliance initiative rather than a single-party affair.
"On November 1, there will be a huge rally at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi. It was a collective decision of the INDIA bloc. It is not a one-party program. It is a collective program of INDIA bloc parties. The Congress is mobilising people, and in the same way, other parties are also mobilising. It is a joint program of INDIA alliance parties," D Raja stated.
Addressing the broader governance model of the current administration, Raja trained his guns on the systematic curbing of public spaces designated for democratic agitation, specifically pointing to the restrictions placed on historic protest hubs like Jantar Mantar.
"How the Modi govt is functioning, and we condemn that. One of the demands is to restore Jantar Mantar as a place of dissent to be expressed by people. How can you ban every place? Then where can people go? The Constitution gives the right to people to express their opposition, their dissent against the policies pursued by the govt of the day. The Modi govt cannot snatch away these rights and powers of the people," Raja warned.
Raja’s remarks come amidst heightened political friction in the national capital. The INDIA bloc has intensified its nationwide campaign centring on democratic accountability, electoral integrity, and administrative overreach.
Parties across the opposition spectrum—including the Congress, CPI, CPI(M), and regional allies—are coordinating mass worker mobilisation from states like Chhattisgarh, Bihar, and beyond. The rally serves as a focal point for the opposition’s ongoing grievances regarding institutional autonomy, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, and the demand for accountability from the Election Commission.
The opposition has repeatedly accused the central administration of attempting to choke transit and deny public gathering spaces—such as recent shifts in venue and transport hurdles—sparking sharp rejoinders from ruling BJP leaders who have dismissed the protests as political manoeuvres aimed at inciting anarchy.
With preparations finalised for the November 1 demonstration, the opposition alliance is pressing forward to challenge executive policies and assert constitutional rights to public assembly.
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) chief Thirumavalavan on Friday extended support to the INDIA bloc's November 1 mega-rally.
The VCK chief has said that party workers from atleast 5 southern states are participating in the November 1 rally in Delhi. The rally at Ramlila Maidan is expected to have atleast 10 lakh people attend at the newly designated protest site.
“The Viduthalai Siruthaigal Party will participate in the protest on the 1st. Viduthalai Siruthaigal Party members from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka are participating,” Thirumavalavan told reporters at Chennai airport.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Friday announced that the INDIA bloc's proposed public impeachment programme against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar had been postponed to Saturday due to rain, with the event to be held at the same time.
Speaking to reporters in the national capital, Rahul Gandhi said the decision was taken by consensus, keeping in mind the discomfort senior leaders could face while sitting in the rain.
"By consensus, we have decided to postpone today's program (public impeachment programme against CEC) to tomorrow at the same time because of rain. We felt that it would be uncomfortable for seniors to sit in the rain, and we will hold the same program tomorrow," he said. (ANI)
"Modi govt cannot snatch away these rights and powers of the people": CPI's D Raja slams crackdown on protests ahead of Nov 1 rally
