New Delhi [India], October 30 : Ahead of the opposition INDIA bloc's scheduled mega rally on November 1, senior opposition leaders visited the historic Ramlila Maidan in the national capital to review and inspect ground arrangements.
Speaking to reporters during the inspection, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant launched a scathing attack on the Central dispensation, accusing it of authoritarian and vindictive governance.
"It has become a necessity for the country to become united to fight against the undemocratic functioning of the present government. Unruly, undemocratic, dictatorial, vindictive—all these adjectives can be applied to this government," Sawant said.
Emphasising the collective resolve of the opposition parties, the Shiv Sena (UBT) parliamentarian noted that leaders across regional and national parties will share the stage to raise their voice against the administration.
"To fight against them, the Congress party has taken the initiative, along with all the other opposition parties. So, all the leaders are going to join the day after tomorrow. Most corrupt, most unethical, most illegal functioning is going on in this government," he added. 
Speaking during the inspection, CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas said that nearly 10 lakh people are expected to gather in the national capital to defend democratic institutions and the fundamental right to protest.
"On November 1st, 10 lakh people are going to converge here. I don't think all of them could be accommodated here. Most of them would be in the streets of Delhi. This is a protest of the people against the Prime Minister. That is essentially the most important aspect of this struggle. The entire country is on the path of agitation against his government. This is not merely for Gyanesh Kumar's resignation. I can tell you very well. It is to reclaim the sanctity of the institutions, reclaim the space of democracy, to make sure that dissent and protest are fundamental rights. So it has got a wide spectrum. We feel that this Ramlila rally on November 1st would be a milestone in the history of the agitations of this country and this would have far-reaching implications," Brittas said.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) General Secretary MA Baby accused the Centre of attempting to curb people's constitutional right to assemble and register dissent, alleging that barricading of Jantar Mantar was aimed at preventing protests.
Criticising the restrictions on demonstrations, Baby said the government was trying to suppress public anger by putting up barricades across the national capital.
"Is it a lie that Jantar Mantar, the designated site of protest and demonstration all these years, till July, is now barricaded and people are prevented from coming and registering their protest? This government is showing that it does not respect the constitutional provisions of people to assemble and register their opposition," he said.
He further warned the Centre that people would respond to the restrictions, referring to the November 1 protest.
"Now, with barricades being put in all corners of the city, they think that the popular anger can be suppressed. Now people are going to create a barricade for Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. We are going to teach them a lesson. Let them see what is happening on 1st November," Baby said.
He added that he doubted whether the government would learn from the protests, asserting that people would hold it accountable.
"People will teach them the lesson," he said.