On a tense Monday morning in New Delhi, Rahul Gandhi, the prominent leader of India’s Congress party and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, was detained by police alongside several other opposition MPs. Rahul Gandhi protest included a group of leaders and was marching towards the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters, protesting what they call a deeply flawed electoral roll revision in Bihar, a move they fear could strip millions of their voting rights ahead of crucial state elections.
Details of Rahul Gandhi Protest
The protest, which began at Parliament’s Makar Dwar, saw nearly 300 MPs from the INDIA bloc, a coalition of opposition parties, unite in a display of defiance. Carrying placards with slogans like “Vote Chori” (vote theft) and “SIR: Stealing Democratic Rights,” they accused the ECI of manipulating voter lists to favour the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The march was halted midway at Transport Bhawan by a heavy police presence, with barricades blocking the path to the ECI office.
As tensions rose, some MPs, including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, climbed barricades, chanting slogans against the ECI. The police, citing a lack of permission for the march, detained several leaders, including Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and others. Amid the chaos, two Trinamool Congress MPs, Mahua Moitra and Mitali Baugh, fainted and required medical attention, with Baugh rushed to a hospital.
The Rahul Gandhi protest and spoke from a police van after his detention, framed the protest as a fight for the soul of India’s democracy. “This is not a political battle; this is a fight to save our Constitution, to protect the principle of one person, one vote,” he said, his voice resolute. “The truth is clear for the nation to see. We demand a clean and fair voter list.” His words resonated with supporters, who see the opposition’s stand as a plea to safeguard democratic values.
The controversy stems from the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, announced by the ECI in June. The process, which required voters to provide proof of citizenship by July 25, led to the removal of over 65 lakh names from the draft voter list published on August 1. Opposition leaders argue this exercise risks disenfranchising vulnerable communities, particularly in Muslim-majority districts and among women, who make up 55% of those excluded. They point to the tight deadline and lack of transparency as evidence of a deliberate attempt to suppress votes before Bihar’s assembly elections, expected this October or November.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had earlier sought a meeting with the ECI to address these concerns, urging the commission to uphold the “highest traditions of parliamentary democracy.” However, the opposition claims their requests have been ignored, fuelling their resolve to take to the streets. The ECI, in response, has denied allegations of bias, stating that the SIR is a routine process and not politically motivated. Yet, the opposition’s distrust persists, with many MPs alleging the commission’s silence on the issue suggests complicity.
After Rahul Gandhi Protest, detentions sparked outrage among opposition supporters, who flooded social media with messages of solidarity. Posts on X reflected public anger, with many calling the police action an attempt to silence dissent. “The people’s voice will not be stifled,” one user wrote, echoing the sentiment of thousands who see the Rahul Gandhi protest as a stand against democratic erosion.
As Bihar gears up for its elections, the controversy over the electoral roll has cast a shadow over the democratic process. The opposition’s march, though halted, amplified their call for transparency and fairness. For now, Gandhi and his allies remain steadfast, vowing to continue their fight for a free and fair electoral system, undeterred by the barricades—both physical and political—that stand in their way.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, August 10th, 2025
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