Rahul Gandhi using SIR protest to hide Congress failures: Bommai
Synopsis
BJP's Basavaraj Bommai has turned the Congress-led SIR protests on their head, alleging that Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are using the electoral roll controversy to mask internal party failures and silence dissent — not to defend voters. With the Supreme Court set to weigh in, the political battle over the SIR is intensifying on multiple fronts.
Key Takeaways
Basavaraj Bommai alleged on 6 October that Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are using the SIR protests to deflect criticism of Congress.
Bommai made the remarks in Dharwad after attending the nomination of BJP candidate S.V.
Sankanur for the West Graduates' Constituency .
Congress leaders recently protested near Akashvani Bhavan , demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar .
Bommai maintained the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) dispute should be resolved through constitutional and legal channels, not protests.
The BJP leader expressed confidence the Supreme Court would take a final, fact-based view on the SIR exercise.
Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday, 6 October alleged that Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were protesting against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls not out of democratic concern, but to divert attention from the Congress party's internal shortcomings and suppress dissent within its ranks.
What Bommai Said in Dharwad
Speaking to reporters in Dharwad after attending the nomination filing programme of BJP candidate S.V. Sankanur for the West Graduates' Constituency, Bommai claimed that the ongoing protests would not benefit the Congress. He alleged that the Gandhi siblings were weaponising the SIR controversy as a political shield rather than engaging with substantive organisational concerns.
Referring specifically to the protest led by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra near Akashvani Bhavan, where they demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Bommai said the Congress was attempting to manufacture a narrative that obscured its own failures.
BJP's Stand on the SIR Controversy
Bommai maintained that the dispute over the electoral roll revision exercise should be resolved through constitutional and legal channels rather than street protests. He expressed confidence that the Supreme Court would take a final, fact-based view on the matter. According to Bommai, the demand for the Chief Election Commissioner's resignation was part of a broader political strategy rather than a principled stand on electoral integrity.
He also alleged that the Congress leadership was actively using the SIR campaign to prevent internal dissent from becoming public, framing agitation as a substitute for intra-party accountability.
Background: The SIR and the Protests
The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls has emerged as a flashpoint between the ruling BJP at the Centre and the Opposition Congress. Critics of the SIR process, including Congress leaders, have raised concerns about potential voter deletions and alleged procedural irregularities by the Election Commission of India. The Congress has held multiple demonstrations across the country, with the protest near Akashvani Bhavan in New Delhi drawing national attention.
This is the latest in a series of BJP counter-offensives framing the SIR protests as politically motivated, even as the matter is reportedly under judicial scrutiny.
What Comes Next
The BJP's pushback, led by senior leaders like Bommai, signals an attempt to reframe the SIR debate away from electoral administration and toward Congress's internal credibility. With the Supreme Court's eventual ruling likely to set the final legal contours of the SIR exercise, both parties appear to be positioning themselves for the outcome.
Point of View
It succeeds in muddying the debate. The more significant question mainstream coverage is skirting is what the SIR exercise actually involves, how many names may be affected, and why the matter has reached the Supreme Court. Without those specifics, this risks becoming a he-said-she-said political exchange that serves neither voters nor accountability.
NationPress
6 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Basavaraj Bommai allege about the Congress SIR protests?
Bommai alleged that Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are protesting against the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls to distract from Congress's internal shortcomings and prevent dissent within the party. He made these remarks in Dharwad on 6 October 2026.
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls?
The SIR is an exercise conducted by the Election Commission of India to update and revise electoral rolls. It has become controversial, with Congress leaders alleging procedural irregularities and potential voter deletions, while the BJP has defended the process as constitutional.
Why did Congress protest near Akashvani Bhavan?
Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, held a protest near Akashvani Bhavan in New Delhi demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over concerns related to the SIR exercise.
How does Bommai say the SIR dispute should be resolved?
Bommai stated that the SIR controversy should be allowed to proceed through constitutional and legal channels. He expressed confidence that the Supreme Court would ultimately take a final, fact-based view on the matter.
What is the BJP's broader political argument against the Congress protests?
The BJP, through Bommai, argues that the Congress is using the SIR issue as a political strategy to divert attention from its own organisational failures rather than to genuinely defend electoral integrity. The party claims the demand for the Election Commissioner's resignation is politically motivated.
