Defence Minister accuses Congress of fomenting anarchy over CEC protests
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh blamed the Congress of trying to seize power by stirring unrest around protests targeting CEC Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls.
At a press conference in Lucknow, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh accused the Congress of using youth energy to create chaos and overthrow the government, linking the protests over chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls to a broader plot for power. He dismissed the demonstrations as a ploy rather than a call for reform, invoking the 1975 Emergency and alleging the opposition treats democratic scrutiny as treason.
Congress representatives, including MP Pawan Khera and general secretary Jairam Ramesh, countered that the BJP is uncomfortable with democratic accountability and stressed that regime change can only occur through elections. Leaders from the Uttar Pradesh Congress and Samajwadi Party also condemned the BJP for defending a figure they claim undermines voting rights. The protests have seen tens of thousands on the streets, metro closures, internet shutdowns and deployment of 40,000 security personnel in Delhi, while the ruling party alleges the opposition is deflecting from its electoral setbacks.
Why it matters
The clash highlights deep political polarization over election integrity and could influence upcoming electoral dynamics in India.
How this story developed
- Oct 8 Protests swell as India’s election commission faces allegations over voter-roll purge
- Oct 10 Police deployed thousands of personnel, closed 45 metro stations and detained additional opposition figures and activists.
- Oct 10 Authorities detained over 1,000 activists and arrested more than 600 people with criminal histories.
- Oct 11 Delhi imposed wide‑scale traffic diversions around key intersections as the protest entered its second day.
- Oct 11 CJP leaders were released after posting a ₹50,000 surety bond.
- Oct 12 Chief Justice Surya Kant declined a direct meeting and said any petition filed on Monday will be considered on Tuesday.
- Oct 12 Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and the INDIA bloc will march to the Supreme Court at 4 p.m. local time to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
- Oct 12 Authorities shut six metro stations and deployed thousands of security personnel for a third consecutive day.
- Oct 13 The Supreme Court flagged fourteen procedural defects in the opposition’s petition.
- Oct 14 Leader Dipke urged supporters to gather at Central Park in Delhi on Oct. 16 with the national flag, after two protesters were placed in judicial custody for a Jantar Mantar demonstration.
- Oct 14 Thousands of young demonstrators gathered in Delhi to protest what they claim are irregularities in the voter registration process, targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration.
- Oct 16 Delhi High Court refused to grant an injunction against the CJP rally.
- Oct 16 Delhi police detained CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke as he headed to Central Park for the planned rally.
- Oct 16 The unrest has spread from Delhi to multiple major Indian cities.
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