New Delhi [India], October 13 (ANI): Congress MP and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday vowed to continue the INDIA bloc’s campaign against alleged electoral irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, asserting that political resistance would continue until democracy was restored, while Union Home Minister Amit Shah hit back, predicting a massive victory for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
Gandhi accused the government of undermining democratic institutions and alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, while Shah accused the Congress of attempting to shield infiltrators under the guise of opposing the exercise.
The war of words came amid intensified protests by the INDIA bloc against alleged irregularities in the Election Commission’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Opposition leaders demanded accountability from the poll body, particularly Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and accused the government of undermining democratic institutions.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), meanwhile, rejected the opposition’s allegations, accused the Congress of attempting to shield infiltrators under the guise of opposing the SIR exercise, and cited the NDA’s performance in recent local body elections as evidence of public support.
Addressing a press conference in the national capital after a high-tea meeting with INDIA bloc leaders, opposition MPs and student organisations at his residence, Gandhi reiterated that the opposition’s movement would continue until it achieved its stated objective of restoring the democratic process.
“I used the word ‘perseverance’ at the press conference yesterday, that this team of ours is not going to stop. Sooner or later—whether tomorrow, the day after, in three months, six months, a year, or two years—it will not stop. It will reach the end goal,” Gandhi said.
He maintained that the Congress would sustain the energy, unity and momentum demonstrated during recent protests, while declining to disclose the party’s future strategy.
“I cannot tell you exactly how we will get there, because that would spoil the surprise, and we want to maintain the excitement and sense of surprise for you and the country,” he said.
“We have immense respect for the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice of India, and the Indian judicial system; they have a role to play, and we hope they will play it. However, we are political people; no matter what happens, or which institution plays a role or doesn’t, political resistance will continue, people’s resistance will continue, and it will triumph,” he said.
Earlier, addressing INDIA bloc leaders and supporters, Gandhi described the campaign as a collective effort to restore democracy and accused the government of weakening constitutional institutions.
“There is no parallel protest; there is one singular protest, and the protest has one mission: the restoration of democracy in India. Democracy has been destroyed, the Election Commission is destroyed, the Constitution is torn up and thrown away. We are fighting together to restore democratic rule in this country,” he said.
The Congress leader also challenged the government’s reported restrictions on the use of Jantar Mantar as a venue for protests, arguing that citizens must retain the ability to express democratic dissent.
He said the opposition would challenge the decision, asserting that the government could not simply prevent people from raising their voices.
Gandhi further accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of being responsible for what he described as an assault on the Constitution.
“The people who have done this: Modi, the main architect; Amit Shah, the implementer; and Gyanesh Kumar. They need to understand that the net is closing around them. It is not going to be so simple that you can destroy the Indian Constitution and get away with it,” he said.
In another statement, Gandhi vowed that those allegedly responsible for undermining the democratic process would be brought to justice. He thanked people in Delhi and across the country for supporting the protests and said the movement concerned the future and rights of Indian citizens rather than the interests of any single political party.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge echoed Gandhi’s remarks, claiming that the INDIA bloc’s initiatives over the preceding four days had received substantial public support.
Addressing the media after the meeting, Kharge alleged that citizens were prepared to expose what he described as the Prime Minister’s plan to steal votes.
“You have witnessed the tremendous success of the initiatives undertaken by the INDIA alliance over the past four days; Rahul-ji and other leaders addressed the public’s issues with great seriousness and dedication. Rarely have people turned out in such vast numbers,” Kharge said.
He added that young people and citizens had come together in Delhi on their own initiative and asserted that the opposition would continue raising concerns over electoral integrity.
Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MP Supriya Sule also reaffirmed the INDIA bloc’s commitment to the campaign, alleging that constitutional rights were under threat.
“We stand united with full strength as part of the INDIA alliance; our struggle will continue because the Constitution has been undermined and is currently in danger in this country,” Sule said.
She added that the movement would extend beyond Delhi to the grassroots level to defend the rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
Meanwhile, Kerala Minister Ramesh Chennithala alleged that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar had damaged the electoral process and said the Congress and the INDIA bloc would continue their agitation.
Chennithala also claimed that a file relating to alleged misconduct and corruption during Kumar’s tenure as Kerala’s Public Works Department secretary approximately 20 years ago was being examined by the state government.
“I received an application regarding the misconduct and corrupt activities of Gyanesh Kumar 20 years back when he was a PWD secretary in Kerala. We are going into the details of the file,” he said.
He further stated that the matter was with the Director and the Anti-Corruption Bureau of Kerala and that the state government would take a decision after examining the details.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh launched a sharp attack on Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his prediction regarding the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, accusing him of electoral manipulation.
In a post on X, Ramesh dubbed Shah’s approach as “Bombast, Bluff and Bluster” and alleged that preparations for electoral rigging had already begun.
“The Union Home Minister is back with his 3 Bs—Bombast, Bluff and Bluster. The co-architect of Vote Chori has, not surprisingly, ‘predicted’ the 2029 Lok Sabha election for which undoubtedly he has already begun the rigging process. But it is not going to happen”, he said.
“The people know that the Constitutional right vote is their biggest power to hold authoritarian governments built on lies – like this one – accountable and send them packing. This is why India, especially the youth, is now out on the streets. The diabolical duo is clearly rattled seeing the surge of sentiment against them both across all sections of society in the nation. The HM should start preparing to defend himself from the investigations that will start into his many nefarious deeds when the regime presided over by his Sahib falls” the Congress leader said.
Responding to the opposition’s campaign, Amit Shah launched a counterattack against Gandhi, asserting that the Congress should prepare for another electoral setback in the next general elections.
“I want to tell Rahul Gandhi that the people of this country have fully understood your strategy of shielding infiltrators under the guise of the SIR, and they will no longer fall for your ruses,” Shah said.
“The NDA is set to secure a massive majority in the 2029 general elections, and the Congress is headed for yet another defeat, its fourth consecutive loss,” he said.
He argued that the Congress had struggled to win public support in several states, including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, and said its current political approach would not benefit the party.
The Home Minister also thanked voters in Tripura, Rajasthan, Gujarat, West Bengal and Assam for supporting the BJP and the NDA, alleging that the ruling alliance had withstood a campaign of malicious propaganda.
In a separate statement, Shah cited the BJP’s performance in recent local body elections in Rajasthan and village committee elections in Tripura to reinforce his argument that voters continued to favour the ruling alliance.
“The Bharatiya Janata Party also achieved a resounding victory in the local body elections held in Rajasthan. The BJP captured 90% of the municipal corporations, 66% of the municipal councils, and 65% of the municipalities,” Shah said.
He also said that the Aam Aadmi Party had forfeited its security deposit in more than 85 per cent of wards in Rajasthan.
Referring to Tripura’s village committee elections, Shah said the NDA had secured approximately 4,000 seats, including 3,248 seats and another 900 seats, with a combined vote share of 77.5 per cent. He claimed the Congress had won only 14 of the 4,600 seats.
Shah described the results as a lesson for Gandhi, arguing that local electoral outcomes demonstrated the opposition’s political weaknesses.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Piyush Goyal called Gandhi the “biggest red flag” for the Congress and challenged him to answer 10 questions concerning the SIR exercise, the electoral process and allegations of vote theft.
Goyal accused the Congress of repeatedly questioning election authorities despite what he described as inconsistencies in its political positions. He also referred to Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s reported praise for the Election Commission’s handling of the West Bengal elections.
The latest exchange came a day after INDIA bloc leaders and supporters, led by Gandhi, marched along Barakhamba Road towards the Supreme Court in New Delhi to raise concerns over alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise.
Separately, the Supreme Court Registry flagged 14 defects in a writ petition filed by Gandhi, Kharge and nine other INDIA bloc leaders challenging aspects of the Election Commission’s ongoing SIR drive.
The political confrontation has placed electoral roll revision, the functioning of the Election Commission and the interpretation of recent election results at the centre of a widening dispute between the ruling NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc.
While the opposition has vowed to continue protests and pursue institutional remedies, the BJP has maintained that the Congress is misrepresenting the SIR exercise for political gain.
With both sides hardening their positions, the controversy is likely to remain a major point of contention in the national political debate as the parties seek to consolidate public support ahead of future electoral contests. (ANI)
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