INDIA bloc plans Monday rally in Delhi as Mamata Banerjee stays to join protest

The INDIA bloc will stage a mega protest in Delhi on Monday, with TMC chief Mamata Banerjee set to stay in the capital and join the demonstration. The protest follows a Delhi police crackdown on Saturday over protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar concerning alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

Detentions

On Saturday afternoon, police detained Mamata Banerjee after she led a dharna near the South Avenue bus stand. The same day, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, who travelled from abroad to support the CEC protest, were also taken into custody; Rathee was arrested from his Gurugram residence. AAP convenor and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was detained after stepping out to protest the CEC row. TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee, who had returned to Kolkata, will travel to Delhi to take part.

Impact

The crackdown disrupted services at 45 Delhi metro stations. Banerjee reversed her travel plans, cancelling a scheduled return to Kolkata and extending her stay in Delhi to participate in Monday’s rally.

Context

Protests against the CEC have intensified after the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, a process that updates voter lists and has faced accusations of bias. The INDIA bloc, a coalition of opposition parties, frequently organizes large‑scale rallies to pressure the government on electoral reforms.