'2.5L shops shut, Rs 10k cr loss': Traders blame INDIA bloc rally for biz disruption

As the INDIA bloc prepares for its rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on Sunday, the BJP has launched a provocative poster aimed at opposition leaders. Dubbed "Thago Ka Mela" or "Fair of Thugs," the poster, designed in the style of a cinema advertisement, features prominent opposition figures, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Akhilesh Yadav, Mallikarjun Kharge, Mamata Banerjee, and Uddhav Thackeray.

The poster's message accuses the opposition of spreading rumors and inciting chaos in the nation on behalf of anti-national elements, seeking to protect their own political interests. The BJP's Delhi unit tweeted about the "Fair of Thugs," stating that the rally will once again occur at Ramlila Maidan, with the purpose of disseminating misinformation and maintaining political advantage.

Meanwhile, opposition parties are convening at Ramlila Maidan for their "Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao" rally, urging the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the electoral process. Demonstrators from various states, including Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh, have converged on Delhi, protesting issues such as Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), and alleged police blockades along the Punjab-Haryana border.

Protesters from Punjab claim that police barricades delayed their travel to Delhi, leaving some vehicles stranded overnight. They accuse the BJP of attempting to deter attendance at the rally. The allegations, though, remain unverified.

Concerns over electoral irregularities and a demand for a return to paper ballot voting have also been raised by protesters. Panna Lal Sharma, who traveled from Rajasthan, stated that he joined the demonstration to oppose alleged electoral misconduct and call for the use of ballot papers. Uttarakhand Congress secretary Madanpal Singh emphasized that the protesters will persist in their protest until the Chief Election Commissioner steps down.

The rally's schedule includes INDIA bloc MPs gathering at the Constitution Club at 11 am before moving to Ramlila Maidan from the Minto Road-Connaught Place junction at noon.