Two major political demonstrations in Delhi today: INDIA Alliance’s rally against SIR and BJP’s march on the 1984 riots

November 1, 2026

New Delhi: Two major political events have intensified political activity in the national capital, New Delhi, on Sunday. On one hand, the opposition INDIA Alliance is holding a massive rally at Ramlila Maidan demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, while on the other, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is holding a march in West Delhi to commemorate the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Both events are pitting the BJP and the opposition against each other.

The INDIA Alliance is organizing the “Chalo Delhi Ramlila March.” The opposition alleges irregularities in voter lists and demands Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. The march will begin at 11 am. INDIA Alliance MPs will first gather at the Constitution Club. The march will then begin at 12 noon from Minto Road and Connaught Place Junction and reach Ramlila Maidan.

Many prominent opposition leaders, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Abhishek Banerjee, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Tejashwi Yadav, and Akhilesh Yadav, are expected to participate in the rally.

BJP march on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots

Amidst the opposition rally, the BJP has also prepared to hold a march in West Delhi. The party says that Congress is holding a political rally on the anniversary of the violence. Through this march, the BJP will remember the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and raise the issue of the alleged role of Congress leaders in the violence.

The BJP march will begin at 11:30 am from the Hari Nagar bus depot and proceed to the Tilak Nagar Metro station. It will be led by Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Delhi BJP President, Union Minister of State Harsh Malhotra, Sardar HS Phoolka, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, and MP Bansuri Swaraj. Members of the Sikh community will also participate.

Earlier, at 10:30 am, BJP MP Vikramjit Singh Sahni will address the media at Gurdwara Shaheed Ganj Sahib along with victims of the 1984 riots.

Tight security arrangements outside Ramlila Maidan

INDIA Security arrangements have been deployed outside Ramlila Maidan in anticipation of the alliance’s rally. Preparations for the rally are underway. This protest follows the public impeachment program against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar organized by the opposition in the capital on October 31.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge introduced a resolution containing six charges against the Chief Election Commissioner in the mock parliament organized by the opposition. These allegations included a conspiracy to rig the elections, the removal of 132 million voters from the electoral rolls, changes to Form 6 without parliamentary oversight, and the establishment of control over the electoral rolls through ECINET.

Furthermore, the opposition alleged that the other two Election Commissioners were not involved in crucial election-related decisions and that the Chief Election Commissioner was acting at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

This symbolic resolution further intensified the political conflict between the BJP and the opposition. Opposition leader in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, warned that the opposition would not allow the Chief Election Commissioner to escape accountability. Meanwhile, BJP leaders called the event a “drama” and defended the protections afforded to officials holding constitutional posts.

Opposition leaders defended the mock parliament, saying that their attempts to raise the issue in both houses of Parliament were unsuccessful, forcing them to organize it on a public platform.

BJP prepares to bring together victims of the 1984 riots

On the other hand, the BJP is preparing to involve a large number of people, especially members of the Sikh community, in this march. Victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and their families are also expected to participate. Through this event, the party aims to refocus the discussion on the alleged role of Congress leaders in the riots.

Both political events are taking place at a time when political controversy continues over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process and alleged irregularities in voter lists.

Earlier, on October 10, student organizations and political groups, including the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), held protests in New Delhi. The administration had denied permission for the protest at Jantar Mantar, despite which the protesters attempted to gather there.

The INDIA alliance rally, scheduled for November 1, was announced by Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal on October 5.