India's protest movements unite in fresh headache for Modi

Protesters started gathering in New Delhi for a high-stakes opposition rally over India’s voter-roll revisions, a dispute drawing sharper criticism from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Supporters of the INDIA bloc moved toward Ramlila Maidan, a central ground that has hosted some of the country’s biggest political demonstrations, waving flags and chanting slogans. Organizers of the “Save the Vote, Save the Country” protest aim for a turnout of one million, framing the mass rally as one of the toughest challenges to Modi in his decade-plus tenure. A day earlier, Modi accused the opposition of conspiring to divide the country and hinder development. Critics say millions of names were excluded from draft lists, disenfranchising legitimate voters, while the Election Commission denies wrongdoing. Police barricades and security measures disrupted traffic as thousands arrived from across India.