Congress Gets Green Signal for Massive Ramlila Maidan Rally
Delhi Police issues NOC to Congress for a rally at Ramlila Maidan from Oct 25 to Nov 3 amid protests over electoral roll revisions.
In a significant development for the opposition, the Delhi Police has officially granted a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to the Congress party to organize a rally at the iconic Ramlila Maidan. The move comes at a time of heightened political tension in the national capital, as the party prepares to mobilize its supporters for a series of events scheduled from October 25 to November 3.
The Road to Approval
The process for securing the venue involved coordination between the party, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and law enforcement. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Central Rohit Rajbir Singh, the Congress party initially approached the MCD to check for the availability of the ground.
The MCD confirmed that the venue would be free between October 25 and November 3. Following this confirmation, the Congress party approached the Delhi Police. After discussions regarding the necessary security arrangements and logistical requirements, the police decided to issue the NOC.
The DCP clarified that the party will now take this certificate back to the MCD, the owning agency of the land, to finalize the booking and begin their preparations for the event. He also noted that any other organizers wishing to book the ground can follow this same procedure.
A Shift in Protest Geography
The approval for the Ramlila Maidan rally follows a major shift in how demonstrations are handled in Delhi. Recently, Jantar Mantar was de-notified as a designated venue for protests and demonstrations. To accommodate public gatherings, the Delhi Police has designated three alternative locations:
- Ramlila Ground
- Burari Ground
- CBD Ground in East Delhi
The Political Firestorm: SIR and the CEC
The proposed rally is not happening in a vacuum. It is part of a larger, escalating row over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. This issue has sparked multiple protests across the capital, led by the INDIA Bloc and various activists.
The opposition is not only demanding the immediate roll-back of the SIR but is also calling for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. The atmosphere in central Delhi has remained tense, with the Congress and its allies staging continuous protests against the CEC.
Crackdowns and Legal Battles
The lead-up to this rally has been marked by strict police action. Over a hundred demonstrators have been detained in central Delhi amid heightened security. The tension peaked following a proposed protest by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), which resulted in a heavy police crackdown.
CJP activists Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das, and Ashutosh Ranka were detained on October 10. While Dipke was released after appearing before the Executive Magistrate, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were later arrested for alleged trespassing at Jantar Mantar and sent to five days of judicial custody on October 14.
The crackdown continued into last week when Delhi Police detained Abhijeet Dipke on Friday to prevent the 'Lehra Do Tiranga' rally at Central Park in Connaught Place. Authorities had invoked Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), imposing strict prohibitory orders against public assemblies in the heart of the city. Police have since confirmed that Dipke has been granted bail under specific conditions.