Thousands show up at INDIA bloc rally in Delhi

The Ramlila ground in Delhi, which hosted the Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance’s (INDIA) mega rally on March 31, witnessed a crowd of thousands of people, breaching the 20,000 capacity of the ground.

The Ramlila ground in Delhi, which hosted the Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance’s (INDIA) mega rally on March 31, witnessed a crowd of thousands of people, breaching the 20,000 capacity of the ground.  

Beating the heat, several people reached the venue on foot, in buses, trucks, and autos from different backgrounds in support of the Opposition bloc’s rally to “safeguard democracy” and speak on various issues, including, the “misuse” of Central probe agencies against opposition leaders by the BJP-led Centre, and hosting a free and fair election.  

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Speeches of various top leaders elicited a range of emotions among the crowd, often resulting in jeering, sloganeering and the occasional laughs. The loudest reactions were palpable whenever the opposition leaders jabbed at the ruling BJP, such as the Aam Aadmi Party leader and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann‘s comment on “whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi can even make ‘chai’ or has been lying to us about this as well.” 

Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav drew similar reactions saying, “Mr. Modi has time to meet Priyanka Chopra but not the farmers protesting for their rights.“ AAP’s Sunita Kejriwal (wife of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s Kalpana Soren, Congress’s Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi also evoked emotions from the people present.  

The rally started with protest songs and stretched on as leaders on the dais called for the defeat of the BJP. Crowds, dominated mostly by AAP and Congress supporters, were dressed in paraphernalia of different parties. 

A sea of yellow, the AAP’s adopted colour, was countered equally by the Congress’s flags. A Congress supporter atop a loudspeaker, dressed in kurta with Rahul’s face on it, hoisted the Congress flag. An AAP supporter painted himself in the tricolour with the slogan ‘Main Bhi Kejriwal’ across his chest prominently.