Tens of thousands of demonstrators are expected to converge on New Delhi on Sunday to protest Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government and recent changes to India’s voter rolls. Organized by the Indian National Congress, the protest is part of a wave of large demonstrations since summer, all expressing opposition to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its voter roll overhaul. Protesters accuse Modi of “vote theft,” alleging the rolls are being manipulated to favor the BJP. “B.
J. P., Modi — all are trying to demolish our rights, our constitution,” said Mohammed Shamin, 40, a private tutor from Delhi. Organizers expect up to a million attendees, while police estimate around 50,000.
The voter roll revision, launched last year as a routine cleanup, has removed over 130 million names, sparking accusations of electoral tampering. Modi and the BJP dismiss the protests as politically motivated unrest, with spokesman Sudhanshu Trivedi calling it a failed attempt to “create anarchy.” The BJP plans its own counterprotest. Security forces have deployed thousands of personnel, following earlier crackdowns that included mass detentions and lockdowns in central Delhi.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing