Tens of thousands joined a protest led by opposition politicians in India's capital on Sunday, renewing demands for the country's election chief to resign over an overhaul of voter lists they say unfairly benefits the ruling party. The nationwide revision of electoral rolls has sparked political disputes and street protests in the world's largest democracy over the last month.
The Election Commission says the initiative is necessary to ensure accurate voter lists, but the opposition claims it is being manipulated to favour Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Both the BJP and the Election Commission deny the allegations regarding the ongoing electoral roll revisions.
On Sunday, protesters led by opposition Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi chanted "vote thief, leave your seat" and beat drums while marching from central parts of New Delhi to Ramlila Maidan. Gandhi, who travelled to the venue in an open-top jeep, said protesters were "not prepared to accept" the voter list removals.
"It is the theft of the voice of every single citizen of India," he said. "This protest does not belong to any political party.
It is India's protest to save the democracy and constitution." The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), an online youth-led protest movement, has also thrown its weight behind the opposition campaign. The overhaul of India's voter rolls has resulted in more than 133 million names being removed from electoral lists, according to figures reported by Indian media and cited by opposition parties in court filings.
Critics say the removals have disproportionately affected minorities, particularly Muslims, raising serious concerns about the transparency of the process. Members of the BJP have long alleged that large numbers of undocumented Muslim migrants from neighbouring Bangladesh have fraudulently entered India's electoral rolls.
Election authorities say the revision was intended to eliminate duplicate, deceased and fraudulent entries, and that eligible voters remain entitled to apply for inclusion on the roll. Among the protesters was 46-year-old Nandita, who said she had been struck off the electoral list despite being a voter since she was 18.
"It's important to be here because of the way things are going... The only option is to take to the streets peacefully," Nandita told reporters during the massive demonstration.
Health Minister and senior BJP leader Jagat Prakash Nadda called the rally "a meticulously planned drama by those who have been defeated and repeatedly rejected by the people." Political analyst Rasheed Kidwai said the turnout at Sunday's protest had given the Congress party a "big push" as it seeks to regain lost ground after repeated electoral setbacks.