New Delhi, 13 October 2026 — The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Tuesday launched sharp attacks on Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi after he compared the Opposition's protest march in Delhi to Shiva's Tandav and a 'Shiv ki Baraat' (Lord Shiva's wedding procession), warning him against hurting Hindu religious sentiments.

Gandhi had made the remarks while describing the INDIA bloc's march in the capital, saying the movement required no rigid structure and was open to all who wished to join. The protest was organised to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

BJP's Sharpest Rebukes

BJP leader Ram Kadam called Monday's march a 'dark day' in the country's history, saying the Opposition's invocation of Lord Shiva amounted to a deliberate assault on the faith of millions. 'Associating Lord Shiva with such a dark day means to hurt the religious sentiments of the people. On one hand, they are insulting the Constitution and on the other they are linking their political spectacle to Lord Shiva!' Kadam said.

He added that Gandhi should remember that Lord Shiva's Tandav is widely regarded as the cosmic cycle of destruction. 'Unfortunately, on Monday the Leader of Opposition and his INDIA bloc colleagues did the wrong act of disregarding the Constitution,' Kadam said.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde Warns of 'Third Eye'

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde echoed the criticism, calling such comparisons inappropriate and cautioning the Opposition against what he described as 'provocative conduct'. Shinde warned that those who draw parallels to Lord Shiva should be mindful of the symbolism of the deity's third eye, suggesting that the INDIA bloc and its allies risked being 'reduced to ashes' by its fire.

Shiv Sena and VHP Pile On

Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC questioned Gandhi's religious credentials, pointing out that he has not visited Ayodhya to offer prayers at the Ram temple and did not attend the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony despite receiving an invitation. 'Rahul Gandhi keeps on saying 'Shiv Tandav', maybe he does not know that Lord Shiv worshipped Lord Ram. It does not suit Congress to use Lord Shiva for their politics,' she said.

VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal went further, accusing Gandhi of linking Lord Shiva with a 'bunch of anarchic elements'. 'He should be careful about his words. Such attacks on Hindu sentiments won't be tolerated. On one hand they are criticising the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice of India and on the other, they are comparing the holy 'Shiv Baraat' with themselves. The Congress leadership should immediately apologise for this,' Bansal said.

Context: The March That Sparked the Row

The trigger was an Opposition demonstration in New Delhi on Monday, 12 October, in which the INDIA bloc marched to press for the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, alleging partisan conduct in the electoral rolls revision process. Gandhi's colourful description of the march as a spontaneous, leaderless movement — akin to the mythological grandeur of Lord Shiva's procession — provided the BJP, its allies, and the VHP with fresh political ammunition.

This is not the first time remarks by Gandhi touching on Hindu religious symbolism have drawn a swift and co-ordinated response from the ruling coalition and religious organisations. The episode is likely to reverberate into the coming days as the Opposition continues its pressure campaign on the Election Commission.