Congress MP K.C. Venugopal on Wednesday, 7 October defiantly dismissed the police cases registered against Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, saying the party was 'not bothered' by FIRs and would press on with its fight to protect democracy. His remarks came as INDIA bloc MPs assembled for a lunch hosted by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge at Sagar Ratna on Janpath, New Delhi.

The FIRs and What Triggered Them

The Gandhi siblings were booked on trespassing charges for allegedly entering Akashwani Bhawan in Central Delhi during Tuesday's protest march against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. The march, which saw Opposition MPs walk from Parliament towards the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters, was organised to raise allegations of irregularities in the electoral process and to demand a face-to-face meeting with the election commissioners.

'Let them file thousands of FIRs. Who is bothered about it? Let them do it. We are very much proud that we are fighting to retain the democracy of this country,' Venugopal told reporters at the gathering.

Opposition MPs Unanimous in Defiance

Congress MP Pawan Khera went further, calling the FIRs a 'badge of honour.' 'Are we afraid of FIRs? FIRs are a badge of honour. We have to sign something, and we will sign it because the Election Commission wants everyone's signatures,' he said, signalling that the party intended to comply with procedural formalities while maintaining its combative posture.

Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda echoed the defiance. 'Our fight is continuing to save democracy and the Constitution. I have been informed that an FIR has been registered, in which our name has also been mentioned. We are not people who are afraid of FIRs. They should have understood this by now,' he said.

Sibal Targets Chief Election Commissioner

Rajya Sabha member Kapil Sibal reserved particular criticism for the Chief Election Commissioner, alleging institutional cowardice. 'You have seen the conduct of this Chief Election Commissioner when he gave time also... They have no courage to meet,' Sibal said, according to reports.

The allegation that the ECI failed to receive the delegation despite scheduling a meeting has sharpened the Opposition's narrative around institutional accountability — a theme that has animated the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Opposition confrontation across multiple sessions of Parliament this year.

The Broader Context: Kharge's Lunch and the Letter Campaign

Wednesday's lunch at Sagar Ratna served a dual purpose: solidarity among INDIA bloc MPs and the collective signing of a letter demanding a meeting with CEC Gyanesh Kumar. The letter is expected to be formally submitted to the ECI. This marks at least the second consecutive day of coordinated Opposition action targeting the Election Commission, a rare display of sustained pressure from an otherwise fractious coalition.

With the letter campaign underway and multiple FIRs now on record, the confrontation between the Opposition and the election authority is likely to intensify in the days ahead.