Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat have "hijacked" the country with the help of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and claimed that action would be taken against all of them for committing "treason".
Gandhi made the remarks on Tuesday, alleging that the alleged "vote chori" (vote theft) was being carried out through the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and that the four named figures were behind it.
The remarks came on a day of high political drama in the national capital. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with other INDIA bloc leaders, were detained by Delhi Police on Tuesday evening after staging an hours-long sit-in at Akashvani Bhawan during their march towards the Election Commission headquarters. The protesters were demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the SIR exercise, and were later released. Reports estimated that around 260 people were detained for breaching barricades during the march towards the poll panel's office.
Charges and counter-charges
Gandhi's latest salvo is part of a sustained opposition offensive against the poll panel, which the Congress has accused of manipulating voter lists to favour the ruling BJP. The ruling party and the Commission have repeatedly rejected the charges, maintaining that the SIR exercise is a routine administrative process aimed at cleaning up electoral rolls.
Separately, in a related development on Wednesday, a Delhi High Court judge recused himself from hearing a lawsuit over the Centre's proceedings against the Delhi Gymkhana Club, according to news agency PTI.
The SIR row is expected to remain a flashpoint in the coming days, with the opposition signalling it will take the protest back to the streets.
Sources:
- Mathrubhumi English — School Assembly Headlines, October 7, 2026
Gandhi made the remarks on Tuesday, alleging that the alleged "vote chori" (vote theft) was being carried out through the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and that the four named figures were behind it.
The remarks came on a day of high political drama in the national capital. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with other INDIA bloc leaders, were detained by Delhi Police on Tuesday evening after staging an hours-long sit-in at Akashvani Bhawan during their march towards the Election Commission headquarters. The protesters were demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the SIR exercise, and were later released. Reports estimated that around 260 people were detained for breaching barricades during the march towards the poll panel's office.
Charges and counter-charges
Gandhi's latest salvo is part of a sustained opposition offensive against the poll panel, which the Congress has accused of manipulating voter lists to favour the ruling BJP. The ruling party and the Commission have repeatedly rejected the charges, maintaining that the SIR exercise is a routine administrative process aimed at cleaning up electoral rolls.
Separately, in a related development on Wednesday, a Delhi High Court judge recused himself from hearing a lawsuit over the Centre's proceedings against the Delhi Gymkhana Club, according to news agency PTI.
The SIR row is expected to remain a flashpoint in the coming days, with the opposition signalling it will take the protest back to the streets.
Sources:
- Mathrubhumi English — School Assembly Headlines, October 7, 2026
