Rahul warns Modi, Shah and CEC Gyanesh Kumar as INDIA Bloc vows prolonged fight over 'Vote Chori'
New Delhi, Oct 13 (UNI)Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday warned Prime Minister Narendra Modi, union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar that "the net is closing around them", as the INDIA bloc vowed to intensify its campaign against alleged electoral manipulation and fight to "restore democracy in India".
Addressing a joint press conference with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and other opposition leaders in New Delhi, Gandhi said the movement against alleged "vote chori" would continue until its objectives were achieved, insisting that the opposition was united behind a single mission - the restoration of democracy.
"There are no parallel protests, there is one singular protest and the protest has one mission - restoration of democracy in India," Gandhi said, accusing the government of undermining democratic institutions, the electoral system and the Constitution. Warning the Prime Minister, Home Minister and Chief Election Commissioner against assuming they could escape accountability, he said:
"It is not going to be so simple that you can destroy the Indian Constitution and get away with it." The INDIA bloc's campaign centres on allegations that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has led to large-scale voter deletions, with opposition leaders claiming that nearly 13 crore names have been removed or affected. The allegations and the scale of any wrongful deletions remain subject to verification through official records and judicial scrutiny. Gandhi also challenged the authorities' decision to de-notify Jantar Mantar as a designated protest venue, arguing that administrative restrictions could not silence democratic dissent.
"The one method of expression of democracy was Jantar Mantar, and now, the government has decided that Jantar Mantar can no longer be used to express democratic feelings. Well, we are going to challenge that idea," he said. Referring to Monday's opposition mobilisation, Gandhi said the protests reflected public concern beyond political parties. "What happened yesterday could not have happened without the expression of the average citizen of this country, non-political citizen of this country," he said, adding that the struggle was about the future of the people rather than the political fortunes of individual leaders.
Gandhi declared that the agitation would continue for months or years if necessary. "Today nahi to kal, kal nahi to parson, parson nahi to teen mahine baad, teen mahine baad nahi to chhe mahine baad, chhe mahine baad nahi to ek saal, nahi to do saal, ye rukne wali nahi hai. Ye end goal tak jayegi," he said, signalling a sustained campaign combining political mobilisation, public protests and legal action. While expressing respect for the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice of India and the judiciary, Gandhi said the opposition would not suspend its political resistance while awaiting judicial intervention.
"No matter what happens, no matter which institution plays a role, or does not play a role, political resistance will continue, people's resistance will continue and it will triumph," he said. The opposition has sought greater transparency in the SIR exercise, including disclosure of relevant records and clarification of procedures governing additions and deletions from electoral rolls. It has also demanded accountability from the Election Commission and called for the resignation or removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Kharge, addressing the press conference before Gandhi, accused the ruling establishment of pursuing an electoral manipulation plan and said the opposition was determined to expose it.
"Jo Modi ka plan hai, vote chori ka, usko poora expose karne ke liye saare log taiyar ho gaye," he said, asserting that the INDIA bloc was prepared to carry its campaign forward. Other opposition figures associated with the briefing and the alliance's mobilisation included Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav, Communist Party of India general secretary D Raja, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary M A Baby and Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Sagarika Ghose.
The broader campaign has also drawn participation from civil society and student organisations. The confrontation over electoral rolls has become a major flashpoint between the opposition and the Election Commission, with the INDIA bloc arguing that eligible voters must not be excluded without adequate verification, notice and an effective opportunity to appeal. Establishing the extent of any wrongful deletions and determining whether the prescribed safeguards were followed will require scrutiny of official records and the authorities' responses.
By linking electoral integrity with the right to peaceful protest, Gandhi sought to widen the dispute into a broader debate over constitutional institutions, democratic freedoms and accountability. He thanked the people for supporting the campaign and urged the media to continue scrutinising the controversy. "The people who have done this … are going to be brought to justice," Gandhi said, reiterating his warning to Modi, Shah and Gyanesh Kumar. The INDIA bloc has made clear that it intends to keep the issue at the centre of national politics, pursuing its allegations through public mobilisation and legal channels while demanding transparency in the electoral process.
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