Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused the Modi government of using state machinery to prevent Opposition supporters from reaching Delhi for the INDIA bloc’s protest against alleged vote theft, while announcing the postponement of the “public impeachment” of CEC Gyanesh Kumar to Saturday due to rain on Friday.Addressing a press conference at party president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence, alongside INDIA bloc leaders, Rahul said it had been unanimously decided to reschedule Friday’s programme for Saturday because of the weather. The Opposition’s rally at Ramlila Maidan, involving political parties, civil society groups and non-political organisations, will be held on Jattvibeday.Both programmes, he said, were part of the Opposition’s campaign against the “demolition of democracy” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and CEC Gyanesh Kumar and his team in the Election Commission.“Of course, the Home Minister is trying his best to stop people from coming to Delhi. Our party members and thousands of people from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Telangana, among other states, are being stopped. They are doing everything they can to prevent people from reaching here,” Rahul said.Challenging the government to gauge public response to the Opposition’s campaign, he said, “Now you watch what happens at Ramlila Maidan. Watch how many people come and how many people they manage to stop. You will understand what is going on in this country.”Rahul claimed there was widespread anger and emotional distress over “electoral manipulation and the denial of voting rights to millions”.“There is huge anger and huge emotional pain because millions of people are being disenfranchised. Their votes are being stolen to help Mr Adani, Mr Ambani, Mr Modi, Mr Shah and Mr Bhagwat,” he said.Insisting that the Opposition’s programmes were part of a common movement rather than separate protests, Rahul said the entire INDIA bloc was united in defending the Constitution.“As we have said before, these are not multiple protests but one protest. The entire Opposition is standing here. Anybody who wants to protest is welcome to come. We are defending the Constitution,” he said.Samajwadi Party leader Dharmendra Yadav said people understood the fight against alleged electoral manipulation. Referring to the latest election results in Uttar Pradesh, he said voters had shown the BJP how far behind it was.TMC MP Derek O’Brien said the INDIA bloc remained united in the campaign, with leaders and representatives of several Opposition parties participating.Former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar is scheduled to chair the INDIA bloc’s proposed “public impeachment” of the CEC as part of its protest against alleged vote theft and irregularities in the SIR process.