Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav led a massive protest in Patna against the Election Commission’s voter list revision, alleging targeted disenfranchisement. The Bihar agitation coincided with a nationwide Bharat Bandh called by nine trade unions,
BY PC BUREAU
July 9, 2025–Patna, Bihar Leader of opposition and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday led a statewide protest in Bihar, accusing the Election Commission of India (ECI) of conducting a politically motivated electoral roll revision. The protest—backed by the INDIA bloc, including the RJD, Left parties, and several trade unions—sparked statewide disruption, road blockades, and railway delays across Bihar.
The Bihar protest, led by Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav, coincided with the Bharat Bandh call issued by nine central trade unions, which was also backed by several political parties. While the Bihar leg of the protest specifically targeted the Election Commission’s ongoing revision of electoral rolls, the broader nationwide strike was aimed at opposing the Centre’s economic policies, labor law reforms, privatization of public sector units, and rising unemployment. Together, the two movements converged to create a powerful wave of dissent across the state and beyond.
At around 10 a.m., Gandhi, joined by RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, spearheaded a “chakka jam” (road blockade) at Golambar near the Income Tax office. The leaders then led a march toward the Election Commission’s state office in Patna, demanding an immediate halt to the ongoing Special Summary Revision (SSR) of voter rolls.
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The protest is a direct response to the ECI’s decision to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls across Bihar ahead of elections slated for October–November 2025. While the ECI maintains the revision is routine, the opposition alleges that the process is being rushed to delete names of marginalized voters—particularly Muslims, Dalits, and migrant laborers—seen as traditional INDIA bloc supporters.
“The Election Commission has lost its independence under this regime,” Rahul Gandhi said during the protest. “This voter list cleansing is not administration—it’s targeted disenfranchisement.”
Protests Grip Bihar
RJD student wings and Congress youth leaders blocked national highways and railway tracks in Jehanabad, Hajipur, Darbhanga, and Muzaffarpur, burning tyres and chanting slogans against the Modi government and the ECI. In Gaya, a tragic incident was reported where a two-year-old child allegedly died in an ambulance stuck in traffic during the bandh, though officials denied a direct connection.
LIVE: Protest March | Patna, Bihar https://t.co/Bd9fVdo46E
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 9, 2025
Workers from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, CPI(ML) Liberation, and CPM burnt tyres and blocked roads in support of the Bihar Bandh in Arwal, Jehanabad, and Darbhanga.
The Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) termed the bandh a “massive success,” while BJP leaders hit back sharply. Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad accused Rahul Gandhi of “politicizing a legal and administrative process” and warned that the Congress would be held responsible for any law and order breakdown.
The Electoral Roll Controversy
The heart of the dispute lies in the tight July 25 deadline set by the ECI to complete the voter revision process. INDIA bloc leaders argue that the timing—so close to elections—gives insufficient room for objections and corrections, particularly in rural areas with low digital access. They also allege booth-level agents aligned with the BJP are manipulating the lists without opposition oversight.
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The ECI, however, has rejected these allegations. In a statement, the Commission said the process allows ample opportunity for public participation, and that all political parties are welcome to appoint booth-level agents to monitor the process.
Meanwhile, the nationwide Bharat Bandh, supported by ten central trade unions and farmer-worker unions, has compounded the disruption. In Bihar, public transport services, banks, and railways were severely impacted, prompting security deployments by Railway Protection Force (RPF) and local police.
Political Stakes Rise
As Bihar braces for a high-stakes Assembly election later this year, the controversy over electoral rolls has become a defining flashpoint. Opposition parties have linked it to broader concerns about democratic erosion, disenfranchisement of the poor, and institutional bias under the BJP-led Centre.
Rahul Gandhi’s presence on the streets of Patna marks a renewed phase in the INDIA bloc’s grassroots agitation strategy. It also signals his intent to lead from the front in regions where the Congress has traditionally played a supporting role.
“Bihar is not just an election—it is the frontline in the battle for Indian democracy,” Gandhi told supporters before dispersing from the protest site.
