BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday, 6 October 2026 sharply condemned the INDIA bloc's protest against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi, questioning whether the opposition was deliberately attempting to foment 'anarchy' in the country. The protest was led by Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, who alleged that around 300 MPs from both Houses of Parliament were prevented from meeting the Election Commission.

Prasad's Direct Challenge to the Opposition

Addressing reporters, Prasad pointedly asked: 'Rahul Gandhi, the Congress party and the Opposition INDIA bloc — what do they want? Do they want anarchy?' He described the demonstration near the Election Commission's office as a deliberate attempt to destabilise a sensitive constitutional institution. 'Sitting in Delhi, they have surrounded a sensitive area here, and they are saying that (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar is under the clutches of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and (Home Minister) Amit Shah. This is shameful. I condemn this,' he said.

Attack on Kharge Over Ballot Paper Demand

Prasad also trained his fire on Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, citing Kharge's reported demand to cancel all elections and revert to ballot papers. 'He had said that all elections should be cancelled and elections should be held again through ballot papers. This is their intention, and this is what they want. They cannot win in honest elections,' Prasad said. He alleged that the opposition sought to 'capture booths,' prevent Dalits and the poor from voting, and win elections 'under pressure' — drawing comparisons to past electoral contests in Bihar, West Bengal, and other states.

Electoral Roll Revision at the Centre of the Row

Prasad invoked a Supreme Court ruling from May, which he said had affirmed in detail that the Election Commission of India (ECI) holds the lawful authority to conduct the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. 'This is under the law,' he emphasised. He further alleged that the opposition's complaint about the SIR process was rooted in electoral losses — in Haryana, Maharashtra, Delhi, Bihar, and Bengal — rather than genuine constitutional concern. 'You are losing elections and saying that it is collusion by the ECI. You should stop insulting the voters of the country,' he said. He also raised questions about voter rolls, alleging that 'two crore voters who have died' may still be counted as registered electors, and that 'crores of people' appear on rolls in two places simultaneously, which he said is impermissible under law.

Rahul Gandhi's Allegations

Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi alleged that 300 MPs were stopped from proceeding towards the Election Commission's office, where they intended to meet CEC Gyanesh Kumar and his two colleagues. Gandhi further alleged that Prime Minister Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, and CEC Gyanesh Kumar had collectively 'destroyed the democracy of the country' — a charge the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) categorically rejected.

BJP's Broader Condemnation

Prasad also accused Rahul Gandhi of repeatedly targeting constitutional and national institutions and alleged that Gandhi had 'insulted the country' while abroad, without specifying the occasion. 'So, the way Rahul Gandhi is creating anarchy, we condemn it,' he said. This confrontation reflects a deepening stand-off between the ruling BJP and the opposition INDIA bloc over the credibility and independence of the Election Commission — a dispute that is likely to intensify as the electoral calendar approaches.