English
English
English
Rahul Gandhi Targets Modi and RSS, intensifying the political confrontation over the Delhi protests and the SIR electoral-roll revision. (Img: X)
New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the RSS of undermining constitutional values, while backing young protesters, indirectly referring to the CJP agitation held in the national capital on Saturday, seeking resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in thre SIR process.
Posting a strong message on X, Gandhi vowed that the opposition will not back down. The video is drawing attention for its combative language, direct references to Modi, Amit Shah, Mohan Bhagwat, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, and Gandhi’s appeal to young Indians to continue protesting.
In the video, Gandhi said he has spent more than a decade fighting the BJP and the RSS and claimed that he understands their political approach. He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval of being part of what he describes as a wider political conflict over India’s Constitution and democratic institutions.
Gandhi also directly challenges the government over the deployment of police and the detention of protesters. He says that even if thousands of police personnel are deployed and opposition leaders and young demonstrators are arrested, the movement will continue.
His message was aimed particularly at young Indians participating in protests. He praises their determination, urges them to continue their demonstrations and assures them that the Congress stands with them. The video’s central message is that the opposition will continue to challenge the government over electoral processes, constitutional rights and the right to protest.
The video comes amid escalating tensions in Delhi over protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) had planned a demonstration at Jantar Mantar on October 10, demanding Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the voter-list revision process. Opposition parties and activists have questioned whether the exercise could lead to eligible voters being removed from electoral rolls.
The Election Commission maintains that the revision process is intended to verify and update voter lists in accordance with established procedures. The allegations of politically motivated deletions remain contested.
Delhi witnessed heightened security measures and the detention of opposition leaders, students and activists ahead of the planned demonstration. The police cited security and law-and-order concerns surrounding the gathering, while opposition leaders criticised the restrictions and questioned the handling of protesters.
Gandhi’s video adds to the opposition’s broader political campaign against the government and the Election Commission. His remarks frame the protests as part of a larger struggle over electoral transparency, democratic accountability and constitutional protections.
One of the strongest parts of the video is Gandhi’s challenge to the government to deploy more police or detain more protesters if it chooses to do so. He argues that arrests will not force the opposition to abandon its campaign.
His remarks come amid criticism of the police response to the Delhi demonstrations, where restrictions were imposed and several political figures and activists were reportedly detained.
Gandhi’s message seeks to turn the detentions into a rallying point for opposition supporters. By directly addressing young protesters, he presents their participation as an important part of the political movement.
However, his claims about the government’s motives and the conduct of those he names are political allegations made by the Congress leader, rather than independently established findings.
Gandhi says the opposition will defend the Constitution and protect the voice of Indian voters. His remarks connect the immediate protest against Gyanesh Kumar with a wider debate over the independence of constitutional institutions and the integrity of elections.
The SIR exercise has become a major point of contention between opposition parties and the Election Commission. Critics have raised concerns about the possible removal of eligible voters, while the poll panel maintains that electoral-roll revision is part of its responsibility to ensure accurate voter lists.
The controversy has also intensified questions about transparency, accountability and the safeguards available to citizens who believe their names have been wrongly excluded from electoral rolls.
For ordinary voters, the debate has practical implications. Inclusion in the electoral roll is essential to exercising the right to vote, making the accuracy of voter lists a significant public issue. Any claims of wrongful deletion need to be examined through the relevant verification, correction and legal processes.
The BJP has dismissed opposition allegations surrounding the SIR exercise as politically motivated, while the Election Commission has maintained that its decisions and procedures follow the law.
