The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday, 13 October sharply criticised Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi over the INDIA bloc's march to the Supreme Court, accusing him of attempting to exert political pressure on the country's highest judicial institution by mobilising crowds outside its premises.

Key Allegations From BJP Leaders

BJP Bihar president Sanjay Saraogi described the protest as a direct affront to the judiciary, calling it a politically motivated spectacle. 'Rahul Gandhi is making a disgraceful attempt to put political pressure on the country's highest court by gathering crowds on the streets. This is a direct insult to the judiciary. The Chief Justice had clearly stated that political memorandums cannot be accepted in cases that are pending before the court. Despite this, staging a spectacle with Akhilesh Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav reflects desperation,' Saraogi said.

He further argued that the Supreme Court is a place where citizens seek justice, not a forum for electoral campaigns. 'It is shameful to portray those who pelted stones at the police as representatives of democracy. The Supreme Court is a place where people seek justice, not a stage for Congress' electoral drama,' he added.

BJP MP Questions Constitutional Understanding

BJP MP Jagdambika Pal acknowledged that Opposition leaders had a democratic right to protest, but questioned the decision to march to the apex court to submit a memorandum. 'Has there ever been a Leader of the Opposition in the country, since Independence, whom anyone could have imagined marching against the judiciary? Neither Rahul Gandhi has knowledge of the Constitution, nor of parliamentary traditions, nor of the independence and impartiality of the judiciary,' Pal said.

Pal also accused the Opposition of damaging India's international image through such protests, attributing the move to frustration over consecutive electoral defeats. He further defended the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which has been a flashpoint for the INDIA bloc's mobilisation, pointing out that sitting governments in Karnataka, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, and Kerala were elected under the same process.

Bihar Minister Calls It a Constitutional Lapse

Bihar Minister Pramod Kumar was particularly pointed in his remarks, saying the march demonstrated a lack of constitutional understanding. 'The Supreme Court is not a place for protests. They went there to stage a protest, showing that they have no constitutional understanding,' Kumar said. He also remarked that no precedent existed in independent India for protests being staged inside the Supreme Court premises.

Background and What It Means

The INDIA bloc's march to the Supreme Court is linked to its opposition to the SIR of electoral rolls, which Opposition parties allege is being used to disenfranchise voters. The Supreme Court had earlier indicated it would not accept political memorandums in pending matters. This comes amid an escalating political confrontation between the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Opposition alliance, with both sides trading charges over constitutional norms and democratic propriety. Notably, this is not the first time the INDIA bloc's street protests have drawn a sharp response from the treasury benches, but the choice of the Supreme Court as the destination marks a fresh point of contention.

With the SIR issue now firmly in judicial and political spotlight, the coming days are likely to see further sparring over its scope, implementation, and alleged electoral implications.