The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and INDI Alliance have claimed the gathering may reach up to one lakh, at 'Maharally' at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on Sunday which is the full capacity of ground. The Delhi Police has made elaborate arrangements with checking at every gate and deployment of paramilitary personnel in and around the Ramlila Maidan.
Interestingly, the opposition INDI Alliance has termed the rally to "safeguard" the country's interests and democracy. ."It is not a person-specific rally. That is why it is called Loktantra Bachao Rally. This is not one party's rally, about 27-28 parties are involved in it. All constituents of the INDIA janbandhan will be taking part in the rally," Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, addressing a press conference on Saturday. Ramesh said the issues of rising prices, the highest unemployment rate in 45 years, economic disparities, social polarization and injustice against farmers will be raised by opposition leaders at the rally. His remarks assume significance in view of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders pitching the rally as being specific to protesting against the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate.
All the MLAs had held outreach programmes in their respective assembly constituencies to ensure maximum participation of people in the rally. Party workers were deputed to mobilise people for the Sunday rally. AAP leaders Gopal Rai and Dilip Pandey on Saturday visited the Ramlila Maidan to take stock of the preparations for the rally.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has made elaborate arrangements with checking at every gate and deployment of paramilitary personnel in and around the Ramlila Maidan for INDIA block's 'Maharally' organised by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on March 31. The Delhi Police has allowed the rally to take place with certain conditions, including no march, no tractor trollies, and no weapons in central Delhi, they said.
Although the rally is allowed, Section 144 will remain imposed at the DDU Marg, where the offices of political parties are located, an officer said. No march will be allowed from the Ramlila Maidan, he said, adding that strict action will be taken if any violations take place.
"We have made elaborate security arrangements so that the general public doesn't face any inconvenience due to the rally," a senior police officer said. The traffic police will also remain deployed to regulate the traffic and parkings near the ground, he said. Sources said about a dozen companies of paramilitary personnel will be deployed around the Ramlila Maidan and other parts of central Delhi, including DDU Marg. The administration has allowed 20,000 people to come for the rally, but police expects it to exceed 30,000. The officer said seven gates have been prepared for entry and exit at the Ramlila Maidan. "Among these seven, one is for VIPs and another for the media," officer said.
Every visitor will be checked with door frame metal detectors and hand-held machines at the entry gates, he said. The Delhi Police has also installed CCTV cameras and set up a control room centre from where they could watch the activities at the Ramlila Maidan. Police said the organisers have made the sitting arrangements for visitors. The facilities for drinking water and washrooms will be provided at the ground, officials said.
Rameshsaid party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi will address the rally, among other senior leaders. Ramesh said the likes of Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren, NCP (SP) chief Shared Pawar, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI general secretary D Raja, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav, DMK's Tiruchi Siva, TMC's Derek O'Brien, among others, will participate in the rally.
The Congress leader said the INDIA bloc sounded its Lok Sabha poll bugle in Mumbai on March 17 and the rally would be its second poll bugle. He said it will also send out a message of solidarity and unity among the bloc.
Speaking at the presser, AICC in-charge of Delhi Deepak Babaria said that the rally will have maximum participation and convey a message for saving the democracy and Constitution. Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely, who also addressed the press conference, said the rally will mark the beginning of the decisive and final political assault on the BJP from the people of the country.
