BJP holds ‘Save democracy’ rally in Delhi’s Chandni Chowk

New DelhiAmid opposition parties’ ongoing protests against the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the national capital, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday organised a rally in Chandni Chowk with a call to save democracy

New Delhi

Over a thousand BJP workers marched from the Red Fort Chowk to the Town Hall. (HT Photo)

Amid opposition parties’ ongoing protests against the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the national capital, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday organised a rally in Chandni Chowk with a call to save democracy.

BJP’s national president Nitin Nabin led the rally, held with the tagline of “Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy”. Over a thousand BJP workers marched from the Red Fort Chowk to the Town Hall, carrying placards hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta, Delhi BJP president Harsh Malhotra, Delhi MPs Praveen Khandelwal, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, Yogendra Chandolia and Delhi ministers Parvesh Verma and Ravinder Indraj Singh also took part in the march.

Addressing the gathering of party workers, Nabin said the “anarchic mindset” of opposition parties would cause them political damage. Batting for the SIR process, he said, “The process of cleaning up electoral rolls is essential to strengthening democracy. Every eligible Indian citizen must have their name on the electoral roll, while the names of those who are legally ineligible to vote must be removed in accordance with the law.”

Taking a dig at the “Lehra Do Tiranga” protest call by the Cockroach Janta Party held earlier this month, Nabin said, “Some people were talking about taking out marches with the Tricolour and hoisting it at Connaught Place but they should remember that in 2011, the BJP organised the Tiranga Yatra to hoist the national flag at Lal Chowk in Srinagar.”

“At that time, Pakistani flags were being raised at Lal Chowk, while the then central government remained a mute spectator,” he said, taking a shot at the Congress.

Delhi BJP president Malhotra said, “Those who paralysed Delhi and held its people hostage for days and even a month in the name of students, the election commissioner and other issues are now opposing a symbolic two-hour march. Their identity is defined by anti-national slogans, violence and stone-pelting.”

“Opposition wants to weaken democracy by spreading anarchy in Delhi at the behest of foreign powers,” he said.

CM Rekha Gupta said, “Sometimes a march is organised, sometimes a new slogan is introduced, and sometimes a new campaign is launched. Yet every time, the rocket fizzles out before it can even take off. Now, once again, a new slogan has been raised: ‘Vote Chori, Vote Chori’ (vote theft)... The people know whom they voted for and who won because of their votes.”

“The people’s mandate cannot be challenged in this manner. The people have delivered their verdict, and their message is clear: Narendra Modi is not going anywhere,” she said.

Delhi Congress General Secretary Anil Bhardwaj said, “BJP is showing its political hypocrisy by taking out a march in a big business market like Chandni Chowk. On the one hand, BJP is being a well-wisher of the traders and on the other hand, it is causing harm to the traders.”

Sharing the visuals of the BJP march at Chandni Chowk, CJP convenor Abhijit Dipke posted on X: ”Is this at a designated protest site? Also what about business being affected during festivals?”