Escalating his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi claimed that 200 government officials were sharing information with the Opposition and alleged that police were being directed to target young protesters while RSS members were being given a free hand.
PC Bureau
NEW DELHI/ October 13: Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Sunday accused the BJP-RSS of using alleged vigilante groups to intimidate students, particularly women, and discourage them from joining protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Rahul Gandhi alleged that the police had been instructed to turn a blind eye to attacks on demonstrators. During his address, he displayed video footage of what he described as instances of saffron-clad groups assaulting students.
“They are doing it to send a message to the parents of these children that their sons and daughters are not safe in these protests and so they should not allow them to join,” he said.
Urging protesters not to be intimidated, Rahul Gandhi described the alleged attackers as cowards who were afraid of the growing agitation. “They know their days are numbered, so they are taking the help of goons. But they can’t escape,” he said.
Addressing Prime Minister Narendra Modi directly, the Congress leader claimed that officials within the government were sharing information with the Opposition.
“Narendra Modi Ji, 200 officials of your government are in touch with us and informing us, including those in the ED, CBI, and Foreign Ministry,” he said.
Rahul Gandhi also called for a deployment of 20,000 to 30,000 police personnel on the streets, arguing that the scale of the security response would expose what he described as the government’s determination to protect the CEC.
“The government is committing a grave mistake, because we want to show the country that Modi ji wants to ensure the security of Gyanesh Kumar,” he said, adding that the more protection the CEC received, the more the Opposition would pursue those allegedly responsible for the electoral irregularities it has raised.
He further claimed that police personnel were distressed by orders to use force against young demonstrators, while members of the RSS were allegedly being allowed to act without restraint. These allegations could not be independently verified.
In another claim, Rahul Gandhi said that around 50% of police personnel had privately expressed support for the protesters’ cause. He sought to portray the agitation as a wider confrontation between those defending electoral democracy and those allegedly facilitating “vote chori”.
“Police, ITBP, CRPF, the people of India are on one side and Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Ajit Doval, Gyanesh Kumar, and 4-5 members of the Election Commission who are facilitating ‘vote chori’ and hijacking the country are on the other side,” he said.
The allegations against the BJP, the government and the Election Commission form part of the Opposition’s political campaign over the SIR exercise. They should not be construed as established findings of wrongdoing.
READ: CJI Surya Kant Says SC Doors Open to All, Warns Against Turning Court into Political Battlefield
LIVE: Special Press Conference | Indira Bhawan, New Delhi https://t.co/TGGyvGbxXX
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 12, 2026
INDIA bloc plans Supreme Court petition against CEC
Rahul Gandhi also announced that INDIA bloc leaders would approach the Supreme Court over their concerns about electoral fairness and the conduct of the SIR exercise.
He said he and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had written to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant expressing what he described as grave concern over the state of Indian democracy and the integrity of elections. Rahul Gandhi claimed that the CJI had responded and advised them to file a petition.
“Today, INDIA bloc leaders and I will go to the Supreme Court together and file this petition,” he announced.
The Opposition’s proposed march was planned from Barakhamba Road in central Delhi towards the Supreme Court, a distance of roughly three kilometres. Rahul Gandhi urged citizens to participate and carry the national flag, seeking to broaden the mobilisation beyond party workers.
“Gyanesh Kumar is in fear. He is unable to sleep,” he told reporters, intensifying his personal attack on the CEC.
He also alleged that police personnel themselves were questioning why they were being deployed to protect the election chief. Rahul Gandhi insisted that the agitation would continue regardless of the time it took to achieve the Opposition’s objectives.
“If you are tired, so are they (police),” he said, adding that the protests could continue for days, weeks, months or even years.
Opposition seeks to turn protest into a broader movement
The Congress’s latest messaging suggests an effort to broaden the agitation from a campaign focused on Gyanesh Kumar into a larger mobilisation around electoral integrity, constitutional rights and democratic accountability.
Before the planned march, Rahul Gandhi released a video appeal urging civil society organisations and members of the public to join the demonstrations.
“All protests are one protest. There is no parallel protest. India is marching. We don’t care who you are. If you are here to protect the Constitution, we are there for you and we expect the same for them,” he said.
His remarks also appeared to seek common ground with the separate mobilisation organised by the satirical Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which has demanded Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and drawn young demonstrators to the streets.
While the Opposition’s initial protests had largely involved its own leaders and party workers, the Congress is now attempting to bring together different strands of the agitation under the broader banner of a people’s movement.
Whether the strategy succeeds will depend on the extent to which the protests attract participation beyond established political networks and sustain public attention on the allegations surrounding the electoral-roll revision process.
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