Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday, 8 October led INDIA bloc members of parliament in a march to Rajghat in New Delhi, staging a peaceful sit-in protest at the Gandhi Memorial while accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government of undermining democratic rights and constitutional institutions.

The march followed lunch at a restaurant in Connaught Place, with Opposition lawmakers walking together toward the memorial in a show of collective defiance. The demonstration is the latest in a series of protest attempts by the Opposition over what it describes as alleged irregularities in the electoral process and a broader erosion of civil liberties.

What Kharge Said at Rajghat

Speaking to reporters on the way to the memorial, Kharge said the INDIA bloc had chosen Rajghat — the samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi — as a site for prayer and peaceful demonstration, calling on the government to reverse what he described as anti-people policies.

'We, the members of the INDIA bloc, are heading to the Gandhi Memorial to stage a peaceful sit-in protest. We will sit there and pray that the BJP government, specifically Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, are granted the wisdom to realise that their actions are not in the nation's interest,' Kharge said.

He alleged that 'vote theft', rising inflation, and youth unemployment together reflected a systemic failure of governance. Kharge further argued that the freedoms won by leaders including Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi, and Vallabhbhai Patel were being eroded. 'We want to highlight that they are snatching away the freedom we secured... and are making every effort to destroy it,' he said.

Rahul Gandhi Alleges Two Days of Blocked Protests

Rahul Gandhi said nearly 300 MPs from both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha had sought to participate in peaceful demonstrations over the preceding two days but were repeatedly prevented from doing so. He alleged that Opposition lawmakers were first stopped outside the Election Commission building, and subsequently blocked at Jantar Mantar, with some reportedly assaulted.

'We have been prevented from protesting for two days now. On the first day, we were stopped outside the Election Commission. Subsequently, we expressed our desire to protest at Jantar Mantar, yet yesterday, as you witnessed, we were stopped there as well. Our people were assaulted,' Gandhi said.

Gandhi went further, alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had 'hijacked India through a criminal conspiracy', damaged the Constitution, and stolen votes — charges the government has not formally responded to as of the time of filing.

Opposition's Pledge and the Road Ahead

Gandhi assured supporters that the Opposition would sustain its protest and that those it held responsible would face legal consequences. 'We, the Opposition, assure you that action will be taken. They will be brought to justice. This is our guarantee,' he said.

The INDIA bloc has been seeking formal permission to hold protests over several issues, including alleged electoral irregularities, inflation, and youth unemployment. This is the third consecutive day of protest attempts, suggesting an escalating confrontation between the Opposition and the establishment heading into what observers note is a politically charged period.

Whether the government responds with concessions or further restrictions on protest sites will shape the next phase of this standoff.