INDIA bloc rally Live Updates: ‘Don’t want country where everything belongs to Adani’: Rahul Gandhi at Ramlila Maidan

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has appealed to people, including students and civil society groups, to join the gathering — scheduled from 10 am to 5 pm — describing it as a movement to defend democracy and the Constitution.

01 Nov 2026, 01:52 by Asad Rehman, Malavika Jayadeep, Reva Thakkar · The Indian Express · Join

Rahul Gandhi addresses the gathering at Ramlila Ground. (X/@congress)

The INDIA bloc, led by the Congress, is holding its mega rally at Ramlila Ground against the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the SIR of the electoral rolls following a report by The Indian Express.

Taking the stage at Ramlila Ground, Rahul Gandhi begins his address by thanking INDIA bloc leaders, and all those gathered there. On his allegation of ‘vote chori‘, he says, “This is not regular chori. That is when someone steals something from a shop. This is theft of the voice of every person. In legal parlance, it is called rarest of rare case. It is called treason. Without Gyanesh Kumar, Narendra Modi wouldn’t have become Prime Minister and Amit Shah wouldn’t be Home Minister.”

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Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has appealed to people, including students and civil society groups, to join the gathering — scheduled from 10 am to 5 pm — describing it as a movement to defend democracy and the Constitution. He also urged protesters to join the rally and shop from local vendors to support them during the festive season. Multiple parties have extended support for the November 1 rally and several Chief Ministers and opposition leaders are set to participate in the rally.

The Indian Youth Congress said participants would wear white clothes to resemble “ghosts”, symbolising voters who have allegedly been marked dead or removed from the electoral rolls. There will be tight security and over 3,000 police officers and 10,000 paramilitary personnel will stand on guard — to not only watch over the ground, but also make sure that the crowd doesn’t move out and proceed towards Jantar Mantar. Senior officers said that they expect a footfall of around 50,000.

ALSO READ | As Opposition gathers at Ramlila Maidan, a question: Is it symbolism without strategy?

The rally comes a day after the public impeachment of Kumar. Claiming that Gyanesh Kumar “will not survive as CEC”, Gandhi said the Opposition has “enough evidence to ensure that this gentleman does not continue in office”. He added: “If the BJP insists on retaining him even after we reveal [the ‘evidence’], its game will be clear for everyone to see.” In response, the BJP said that the Opposition can declare Rahul Gandhi as their ‘mock Prime Minister’. The Bhartiya Janta Party has given a call for ‘counter rally’ against INDIA bloc’s rally on November 1. BJP President Nitin Nabin will lead the counter rally in Rohtak in Haryana.

Following massive protests in the first two weeks of October, Jantar Mantar was denotified as a protest site and Delhi Police had picked Ramlila Maidan as one of three agitation sites.

Live Updates
Nov 1, 2026 04:23 PM IST
'My religion is the voice of people,' says Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi says, "We don't hate Narendra Modi, Amit Shah or Gyanesh Kumar. You have attacked the soul of the country. No one is an enemy for me. But what's important is the voice of every citizen of India. It is more important than religion for me.

If you ask me my religion, I will say that the voice of the people. We will not attack the RSS or BJP people"

Nov 1, 2026 04:21 PM IST
'First step to get country on right track is to remove Gyanesh Kumar', says Rahul Gandhi

"The first step to get the country on the right track is to remove Gyanesh Kumar. Amit Shah says that Narendra Modi is not going anywhere. I would like to say that he will not be allowed to go anywhere. After Gyanesh Kumar we will come for you. Legal action will be taken," Rahul Gandhi says.

Nov 1, 2026 04:19 PM IST
'We don't want a country where everything belongs to Adani': Rahul Gandhi

"You must have heard about Shiv ki barat. Anyone can go there. In that taandav, anyone can dance. We want an India where anyone can go. If a farmer works hard, he should be allowed to fulfil his dream. If a student studies for 18 hours, they should be rewarded. We don't want a country of a few people where Adani ji can do anything like capturing education, health system... We don't want a country where everything belongs to Adani," Rahul Gandhi says.

Nov 1, 2026 04:16 PM IST
'Without Gyanesh Kumar, Narendra Modi wouldn't have become PM': Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi says, "This is not regular chori. That is when someone steals something from a shop. This is theft of the voice of every person. In legal parlance, it is called rarest of rare case. It is called treason. Without Gyanesh Kumar, Narendra Modi wouldn't have become Prime Minister and Amit Shah wouldn't be Home Minister.'

Nov 1, 2026 04:10 PM IST
'Constitution above all' says Rahul Gandhi

Taking the stage at Ramlila Ground, Rahul Gandhi begins his address by thanking INDIA bloc leaders, and all those gathered there.

"Thank you all for coming here. You had to send a message to Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, that message has been sent. This is not the voice of a political party. This is the voice of Indian youth, farmers and people. It is saying that we will not let democracy be finished in the country. You can consider yourself big, you may have money but you are not bigger than the Constitution, it is bigger than you.

Nov 1, 2026 04:08 PM IST

PDP's Mehbooba Mufti takes the stage at Ram: 'This government has sold the country's assets to a businessman. How can they talk about Hindutva when they've stolen donations from Lord Ram?"

Nov 1, 2026 04:06 PM IST
'We've given our blood to this country, will continue to do so': Farooq Abdullah

Farooq Abdullah says, "These people raise fingers on Muslims saying they are Pakistani. I would like to tell BJP and RSS that we have given blood to this country and will continue to do so."

Nov 1, 2026 04:01 PM IST
'We didn't lose in Bengal, we were made to lose', says Mamata Banerjee

Former West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee takes the stage. She begins her address by thanking Cockroach Janta Party for their "solidarity and support". "Bengal is the victim of the SIR. We will not let it be. They looted Bengal, we will bring back democracy from Delhi. They looted democracy, rights, elections. Gyanesh Kumar ji, you just didn't disappear votes. You hijacked the counting centrally. We didn't lose, we were made to lose. We will take revenge through politics."

Nov 1, 2026 03:45 PM IST
'BJP wants only its members to be voters': Akhilesh Yadav

"BJP wants only its members to be voters and citizens of India," says SP's Akhilesh Yadav.

Nov 1, 2026 03:43 PM IST
'BJP realising their votes being cut too', says Akhilesh Yadav

Taking the stage, Samajwadi Party's Akhilesh Yadav says, "I'm seeing the voice being raised in Ramlila Maidan. And since the announcement was made that we'll gather here, I've heard that they also want to join us. In UP today, when this rally was happening here, then it was said by BJP in UP that 1.27 crore Hindu votes were deleted. It is because of INDIAbloc voice that BJP is now realising that their votes are also being cut."

"Those who claim that it is a double engine government I'm happy that the people of Kashi have given them a double zero," he added.

Nov 1, 2026 03:31 PM IST
'Will keep fighting till Gyanesh Kumar goes': Kharge

Addressing the crowd at Ramlila Ground, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge says, "This is a historic meeting here. We have gathered here to protest against vote chori, especially the attempt to steal votes of women, youth, Dalits by Amit Shah and Narendra Modi. Till Gyanesh Kumar does not go, we will keep fighting. Even if he goes underground we will get him out. That is the power of our people, women and youth."

Nov 1, 2026 03:24 PM IST
'Gyanesh Kumar is a puppet of Modi', says RJD's Tejashwi Yadav

Taking the stage at Ramlila Maidan, RJD'S Tejashwi Yadav says, "Generally this ground is for Ramayana. But today we are doing Mahabharat here. If Shakuni is playing his game today, then we have to make this kurukshetra.. This Gyanu (CEC Gyanesh Kumar) is a puppet of Modi."

Nov 1, 2026 03:23 PM IST
'If you want to be PM, stay in mock parliament': Amit Shah to Rahul Gandhi

Union Minister Amit Shah to Rahul Gandhi: "If you want to become PM, stay in mock parliament your entire life; your turn won't come."

Nov 1, 2026 03:19 PM IST
'Second independence struggle for this country,' says CPIM's M A Baby

"This is the second independence struggle for this country," says CPIM's M A Baby. "CEC Gyanesh Kumar, who did vote chori has to resign. In our freedom struggle, Mahatma Gandhi followed the path of truth. Now Narendra Modi is following the path of falsehood."

Nov 1, 2026 03:17 PM IST
'History has been rewritten from Ramlila Maidan', says Dipankar Bhattacharya

Dipankar Bhattacharya says that the country is under police state. "Multiple times, history has been rewritten from Ramlila Maidan. We are at a similar juncture today. I appeal to you. People suffered in Bengal and Bihar."

Nov 1, 2026 03:14 PM IST
Rahul Gandhi, other opposition leaders reach Ramlila Maidan

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, former West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and SP's Akhilesh Yadav have reached Ramlila Maidan. Along with them are Sonia Gandhi, Abhishek Banerjee, Mehbooba Mufti and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Nov 1, 2026 03:05 PM IST
'Constitution is not anyone’s plaything', says Congress MP

While participating in the INDIA bloc's mega rally, Senior Advocate and Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi says, "This is a message. A message of outrage, of discontent. It is a message that the Constitution is not anyone’s plaything."