NEW DELHI: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday accused the BJP and the RSS of using force against protesters, calling them “bullies like the Prime Minister of India” and challenging RSS workers to come out and face the demonstrators.
His statement came hours after INDIA bloc leaders took to the streets of national capital on Monday against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging electoral irregularities and demanding an end to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
In a post on X, Gandhi attacked the BJP-led dispensation for allegedly sending goons to beat up protesters over the weekend.
“I was wondering where the cowards of the RSS who were beating the young children the day before yesterday were. Where were those people? Because I didn't see them,” he said.
“Why don't you wear your little scarves and come out and see what happens? Because you're essentially, like the Prime Minister of India, bullies. You cannot stand up. You can only use power to fight,” he added.
The Senior Congres leader asserted that the Opposition’s campaign was a collective effort to defend democratic institutions, rather than a series of separate party-led protests.
“There are no parallel protests; there is one protest,” he said, adding that anyone committed to protecting the Constitution would have the Opposition’s support. “This is an expression of our love for the Indian people,” he said in a post on X.
Gandhi also thanked all those who joined the party's protest march to the Supreme Court earlier in the day, saying every single person is going to stand against the "killers" of the Constitution and democracy.
"Today was a very important day because we needed to show the government that the people of India are not going to be intimidated. You cannot beat us, threaten us, frighten us. We will not accept being bullied," the Lok Sabha leader of opposition said, targeting the Centre.
"Every single person is going to stand against these killers of our Constitution, these killers of our democracy. And we're not going to back down," Gandhi asserted.
"I'd also like to thank everybody from civil society organisations who came, supported us. We value your support, and we love all of you. Thank you all for coming out and defending the idea of India, the idea of the Constitution, the idea of our democracy. I'm extremely proud of every single person who came out on the streets. Thank you," he said.
Addressing a press conference earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi asked Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign and turn approver, alleging that the CEC had made a mistake but was not the person behind the alleged wrongdoing.
“Resign, turn approver; you (Kumar) have made a mistake but you are not the mind behind the mistake,” Gandhi said.
“We know Gyanesh Kumar is unable to sleep at night; I am telling him directly, ‘you will not survive as CEC’,” he added.
Gandhi said the Opposition’s fight was against the larger powers allegedly backing Kumar and not merely against the chief election commissioner himself.
Asserting that the Constitution was the Opposition’s religion, Gandhi said the agitation would continue until the Constitution was upheld, the chief election commissioner was removed and the electoral system was revamped.
“Till the time the Constitution is not upheld, the Election Commissioner does not go and election system is not revamped, the youth of the country are not going to stop,” the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said.
“Five criminals will face justice. Five criminals have attacked the idea of India and attacked its soul. We will not budge or stop, no matter how much time it takes,” he added.
The development comes a day after Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant declined a request made by Gandhi, and the INDIA bloc's request for a meeting with him to discuss the alleged electoral irregularities, SIR and action against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kumar.
The CJI's office, in an email reply sent on Sunday, told Congress leaders -- LOP Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, that he cannot meet them as the issue is sub judice and they should approach the court through a proper petition if they seek judicial intervention in the issue.
LOP in Lok Sabha Gandhi and LOP in Rajya Sabha Kharge had earlier on Saturday sought time from the CJI to meet him Monday between 4-5 pm to present a memorandum demanding an end to "vote chori", stopping SIR and demanding resignation of CEC Kumar.
Delhi witnessed heightened security over the weekend amid protests against the CEC, with restrictions on movement, the closure of 45 metro stations and intensive checks at the city's border points. Thousands of protesters, including leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and former chief ministers, were detained.
The Opposition's campaign has intensified amid reports of differences within the Election Commission, with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi reportedly recording objections at least 14 times over the past 10 months, including on the SIR exercise.