New Delhi, Nov. 2 -- The removal of chief election commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar would be the first step towards restoring the country's democratic institutions, Opposition leader in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said on Sunday. Addressing the INDIA bloc's mega rally at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi, the Congress leader stepped up his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and Kumar over allegations of "vote chori (theft)". The Opposition would hold them accountable and Gyanesh Kumar would "go to jail", he said. "The first step to bring back country on right track will be to remove Gyanesh Kumar," Gandhi said. He claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah would not have reached their respective positions without him. "Listen to me. What I say always turns out to be true, doesn't it? I am telling every citizen and every youth of India: Gyanesh Kumar will be removed from the post of Chief Election Commissioner. Gyanesh Kumar will go to jail. Without Gyanesh Kumar, neither Narendra Modi would have become Prime Minister nor Amit Shah would have become Home Minister," he said. The INDIA bloc held the rally to protest against alleged irregularities in the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the alleged mass deletion of voters. The ruling BJP and Kumar have rejected the allegations. "Amit Shah says Narendra Modi will not go anywhere. We are saying we will not let him go anywhere. We will take legal action against you and country will seek justice for this vote chori," Gandhi said. BJP slammed Gandhi over his comments and the rally with Union minister JP Nadda calling the rally a "calculated conspiracy". "What is unfolding today at Ramlila Maidan is not an act of respect for democracy; rather, it is a calculated conspiracy to plunge the nation into anarchy-in the name of democracy. This is a foolish, orchestrated drama staged by those who have been defeated and repeatedly rejected by the people-a fact the public understands all too well. Rahul Gandhi, I wish to explain to the nation today what your model of politics entails: the first stage is spreading lies and rumours; the second is inciting anarchy and chaos on the streets; the third is damaging the nation's economy; and the fourth is attempting to destabilise an elected government at the behest of foreign powers," he said. Gandhi also alleged that electoral malpractice had taken place over several years and claimed that the BJP benefited from alleged manipulation of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and electoral rolls. "Gyanesh Kumar will be removed as CEC, he will go to jail," Gandhi said. "This is not voice of one party or leader; this is voice of India's youth, women, farmers, workers," he added. Gandhi said if he is asked about his religion, he would say that making the voice of the people of the country heard is his religion. Referring to the large turnout, Gandhi said, "This is not the voice of a political party or leaders but the voice of youth, farmers, labourers, and it is declaring that 'we will not let democracy and Constitution be destroyed in India'". "No matter how much power and money you have, you are not bigger than the Constitution," the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said, hitting out at the government."Be it Modi, Shah or Gyanesh Kumar, we will not perpetrate violence against them. We will not spread hatred, we will work with love but we will not let them destroy the Constitution," he said. At the Ramlila ground, several leaders demanded a trial for treason against Kumar, vowed to continue the fight and even set the stage for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh and Punjab elections. RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav called the rally as the "Mahabharata" at the Ramlila ground, while Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said Ramlila maidan has become the Battle of Haldighati for democracy. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge demanded Kumar be sent to jail "so that no one else dares to do such a thing again." Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav turned the rally into a pitch for the upcoming UP polls. He referred to the recent victory in the MLC election in Varanasi and said, "Those who hailed the double engine government, I am happy that people of Kashi gave them double zero. People know that if I have votes, their citizenship will remain. And the BJP wants only its supporters to have votes and remain citizens. This is Ramlila maidan. I can say that Ramlila maidan has become the Haldighati of democracy." "This maidan has written many histories. This huge participation is an indication that another change will come. Those who came from UP, will leave from UP. People of UP know how to invite someone. But they know better how to send someone off. In the last Lok Sabha election, they were sent off partially. But next year they will face such an exit that they won't be able to come back. This is Ram ji ki lila ka maidan. And we know that for ages, that the sinners are removed. But those who have stolen Lord Ram's treasures, committed Chanda chori, donation theft, they will have disastrous consequences," he added. RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav reminded that the SIR started before the 2025 Bihar elections and said, This Ramlila maidan is for Ramayan, but we have organised a mahabgarat for the vote chors." Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that Modi tried to steal votes of youth, women and Dalits and announced, "As long as Gyanesh Kumar doesn't go, we will continue to fight and we will definitely remove him. Modi is trying his best to hide him, but we will bring him out. Women and youth have this power. Don't think Modi ji that only your police, ED, CBI can threaten us, but hum darnewale nehi, ladne wale log hai. Modi is trying to divide the country. People don't elect Modi. He selects people to vote him into power." "Who votes for them? They choose themselves. The public does not elect them. The current central government, as well as the governments in Maharashtra, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, are all governments of vote theft. We must remove these thieves," Kharge said. He also questioned the legitimacy of the BJP governments in UP, Bihar and Maharashtra and said, democracy will survive if Modi is removed from power. CPIM chief MA Baby dubbed the PM as the emperor of untruth and maintained that vote chori must be stopped to end the manuvadi agenda of the BJP. "Only if Modi goes will democracy survive. We must remove Modi to save democracy," he added. The INDIA bloc leaders are set to meet in a few days to decide the next course of their political protests. The bloc is set to meet President Droupadi Murmu to submit the proof of vote chori. The group might also launch protests at the state-levels against Kumar....