UPDATED: Oct 16, 2026 23:14 IST
A major political confrontation has erupted in New Delhi over protests directed against the Special Intensive Revision and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Delhi Police detained Citizens for Justice and Peace founder Abhijeet Dipke ahead of the planned Tiranga Protest, alongside ISA President Neha Bora at Mandi House. The detentions followed controversy surrounding remarks referencing regime change and drawing comparisons to student demonstrations in Bangladesh. The Bharatiya Janata Party targeted the opposition and activists, accusing them of attempting to destabilise the country, generate unrest, and seize power through anarchy using young demonstrators. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh alleged that the agitations are a pretext to create chaos rather than an effort addressing youth interests or electoral rolls. In response, the Congress defended its position, stating that seeking a regime change through democratic elections is legitimate, noting that similar anti-government agitations occurred during the United Progressive Alliance tenure.
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'We Have Never Supported Violent Protests': P. Chidambaram on BJP Charges
In an interview with India Today, senior Congress leader and former union minister P. Chidambaram rejected allegations by BJP leaders that the opposition is planning a violent regime change. Addressing the controversy surrounding the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR), Chidambaram argued that the ECI has abandoned the SIR in remaining states to switch over to the customary Summary Revision (SSR), stating that both processes cannot proceed together. He noted that opposition leaders, including Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, have moved the Supreme Court regarding the exclusion of over 13 crore voters during the SIR process across 26 states. Chidambaram said, "I fervently hope that the Supreme Court will expose the SIR for what it is. It was a mischievous attempt. It is an illegal attempt to exclude 13 crore, 30 lakh voters." Emphasizing his party's commitment to peaceful and nonviolent demonstrations, he asserted that their wider movement focuses on protecting constitutional freedoms and fundamental rights.
Protest Is Not a Threat, State Must Not Criminalise Dissent: On Liberty and Democracy
A commentary on Indian politics highlights that peaceful protest is not a threat to democracy but an essential safety valve that keeps it alive. Emphasising that maintaining law and order must not come at the cost of liberty, it notes a crucial difference between preventing violence and criminalising dissent. Detaining activists, arresting protesters, and shutting public spaces cannot serve as the default response to political disagreement. While regime change is ultimately decided by the ballot box and voters, peaceful protest remains a constitutional right rather than a government favour, testing how confidently a nation accommodates its critics.
BJP MP Lehar Singh Siroya: 'जो Parliament में विश्वास नहीं करते हैं, वो सड़क पर जाते हैं'
Bharatiya Janata Party Rajya Sabha MP Lehar Singh Siroya pushed back against allegations from the opposition concerning electoral misconduct and street protests. Addressing questions on Congress's agitation, Siroya stated, "जो Parliament में विश्वास नहीं करते हैं, वो सड़क पर जाते हैं," asserting that elected representatives should raise pressing governance issues like examination paper leaks and education reforms inside the legislature rather than demonstrating on streets. Responding to Congress's vote theft claims, he said, "अगर vote चोरी करें वो दो हज़ार 24 के चुनाव में हमारी सीटें कमाई। अगर हम vote चोरी करते तो हम 400 के पार होते, 240 पर नहीं अटक जाते," pointing out that anti-incumbency led to their reduced seat tally and narrowed margins in Varanasi. Siroya reiterated that senior BJP leadership including Amit Shah remains fully prepared for parliamentary debates, while criticising Congress leadership dynamics.