IndiaPosted at: Oct 2 2026 8:29PM


On Gandhi Jayanti, Rahul Gandhi backs ‘vote chori’ protests, demands Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation

New Delhi, Oct 2 (UNI) Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday invoked Mahatma Gandhi’s message of truth and non-violence while backing youth-led protests against alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
In a message posted on his WhatsApp channel on Gandhi Jayanti, Gandhi said thousands of young people had taken to the streets peacefully to protest what they describe as “vote chori” and to exercise their constitutional right to question the electoral process.
“Today is Gandhi Jayanti. And today itself, thousands of young people are on the streets against vote chori — peacefully, without violence, exercising their constitutional right,” Gandhi said.
“Their demand is clear: Gyanesh Kumar should resign. Save democracy,” he added.
Gandhi’s remarks came as opposition parties, student organisations and civil society groups staged demonstrations in Delhi against the Election Commission and its handling of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Delhi Police had denied permission for the proposed gathering at Jantar Mantar and imposed restrictions in parts of New Delhi. More than 500 protesters, including AAP leaders and student activists, were detained as demonstrators attempted to assemble near the protest site, according to reports.
Gandhi accused the Narendra Modi-led government of responding to the protests by detaining young men and women instead of addressing the questions being raised over the electoral process.
“And the Modi-Shah government’s response? Boys and girls are being dragged on the streets. Hundreds are in detention. Their only crime is that they asked questions about vote chori,” he
said.
Drawing a parallel with Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violent resistance, Gandhi said the freedom movement had taught people to speak the truth and oppose injustice peacefully.
“Bapu taught us this — speak the truth, fight peacefully. And this is what frightens this government the most,” he said.
“A crowd can be stopped with a baton, but questions cannot,” Gandhi added.
“Gyanesh Kumar will go. And the system that has put him there will also go,” he said.
The protests are part of a broader Opposition campaign questioning the Election Commission’s handling of the SIR exercise and the wider process of electoral-roll revision.
Opposition parties have alleged that large-scale deletions and documentation requirements could exclude eligible voters from electoral rolls.
The Election Commission, however, has rejected allegations of wrongdoing and defended the revision process. Friday’s demonstrations in Delhi saw participation from political parties as
well as student and civil society organisations.
Among those detained were former Delhi chief minister Atishi, AAP Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj, activist Yogendra Yadav and AISA national president Neha Bora, according to reports.
Police had tightened security around Jantar Mantar and restricted movement towards the designated protest area after refusing permission for the gathering.
Gandhi’s intervention on Gandhi Jayanti placed the ongoing confrontation over electoral-roll revisions within the larger Opposition campaign for accountability from the Election Commission, with the demand for Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation emerging as a central issue in the protests.
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Tags: #On Gandhi Jayanti# Rahul Gandhi backs ‘vote chori’ protests# demands Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation
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