High tea, hard talk: INDIA bloc closes ranks against CEC Gyanesh Kumar at meeting called by Rahul Gandhi

Xtreme News India   13-10-2026 22:43:27   24738595

High tea, hard talk: INDIA bloc closes ranks against CEC Gyanesh Kumar at meeting called by Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi hosted a high tea at his official residence in the national capital today, inviting INDIA bloc members, political parties and civil society groups. He reiterated that there were no parallel protests in the country, asserting that the agitation against the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) was a unified movement.

“We are standing together as one. There are no parallel protests, only one single protest with one mission: To restore democracy in India,” Rahul Gandhi said.

The INDIA bloc also criticised the government for delisting Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site.

Rahul Gandhi said the Opposition respected the judiciary but would continue its political resistance. “We have the utmost respect for the Chief Justice of India, the Supreme Court and the judicial system of India. They have a role to play. We hope that they will play that role. But we are also political people. No matter what happens, political resistance will continue, people’s resistance will continue, and it will triumph. The government can’t have it so easy that they can take away Jantar Mantar from us, we will fight for it,” he said.

AISA activist Neha Bora also attended the gathering and later addressed the media.

The AISA president, who walked with Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi at the INDIA bloc protest yesterday said the fight against the BJP was about protecting voting rights and the Constitution as an act of treason had been committed.

“When we say ‘We the People vs BJP’, it’s one fight. One common enemy, enemy of the people, enemy of democracy, enemy of the Constitution, and that enemy is the BJP,” she said.

“If BJP thinks it can crush democracy, snatch our voting rights, take away our right to protest and we will stay silent, they are delusional,” Bora said. She added that the people of India had fought for democracy through their sacrifices and would not accept a “stolen mandate or a compromised democracy,” she added.

“The BJP has committed treason against the people of the country,” she said.

CPI general secretary D. Raja said INDIA bloc leaders had discussed the political situation and how to take forward the campaign for Kumar’s resignation. He too condemned the decision to denotify Jantar Mantar.

“The government has now denotified Jantar Mantar. We strongly condemn this decision. Jantar Mantar must remain a place where people can protest,” Raja said.

Lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan said protesting was a right and that farmer and worker organisations would join the campaign.

“The entire city was shut down, protesting is our right, Supreme Court has said that there needs to be a designated protest site. Farmer and worker organisations will also join us, we are all united,” Bhushan said.

CPI(M) general secretary M. A. Baby accused CEC Kumar of siding with the ruling party and called for greater coordination among opposition parties.

“Gyanesh Kumar has joined the ruling party’s team, and that’s why we are working hard, we are all together we need help to move forward,” Baby said.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav also accused Kumar of working for Modi and Shah. “At the behest of Modi-Shah, Gyanesh Kumar has worked to crush democracy. Gyanesh Kumar has acted like a puppet; he will certainly face punishment for it. These people will not escape,” Yadav said.

TMC MP Sagarika Ghose demanded Kumar’s removal and criminal proceedings against him and Election Commission officials involved in the alleged electoral wrongdoing. “We will not stop until Mr Gyanesh Kumar is removed and criminal proceedings are initiated not only against him but also against all Election Commission officials who supervised elections in Haryana, Maharashtra, Bengal and Bihar, because these have been elections marked by vote chori,” Ghose said.

She also demanded that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process be halted and the previous electoral rolls restored.

NCP working president Supriya Sule said, “Our fight continues. We will keep protesting to safeguard the rights of the country’s people, we are one in this fight.”

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the bloc’s programmes had helped raise public issues. “Programmes run by INDIA alliance were successful and we worked to bring forward and resolve the issues of the public” he said.

(Source : The Print)