Kiren Rijiju slams INDIA bloc protest against CEC, tells Rahul Gandhi to learn from Modi
Synopsis
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju escalated the BJP-Congress battle over the Election Commission on Tuesday, branding the INDIA bloc's protest march against CEC Gyanesh Kumar as 'drama' and telling Rahul Gandhi to learn selfless service from PM Modi — a sharp response that signals the ruling alliance will not cede ground on questions of institutional legitimacy.
Key Takeaways
Kiren Rijiju called the INDIA bloc's protest march against CEC Gyanesh Kumar a 'drama' on 6 October 2026 .
Opposition MPs were stopped by security personnel before reaching the Election Commission of India headquarters in New Delhi .
Rijiju urged Rahul Gandhi to learn 'selfless service' from PM Modi and BJP workers rather than attack constitutional institutions.
The minister invoked the 1975 Emergency under Indira Gandhi to question Congress's democratic credentials.
Rijiju accused Congress of amplifying 'anti-India' and 'foreign' narratives that weaken constitutional institutions.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday, 6 October 2026, sharply criticised the INDIA bloc for staging a protest march demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, and called on Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi to learn selfless service from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The minister's remarks came hours after opposition MPs were stopped by security personnel while marching towards the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters in New Delhi.
Rijiju Calls the Protest 'Drama'
Speaking to reporters, Rijiju dismissed the demonstration as a political spectacle. 'Every day, the Congress Party, Rahul Gandhi and his colleagues keep creating this drama and attacking the Election Commission and the Supreme Court. It is time to stop this. This drama has been going on continuously since 2014. How long will this continue?' he said.
The minister went on to argue that attacking constitutional institutions was counterproductive for any party seeking electoral legitimacy. 'If you are unable to secure a mandate, you abuse the Election Commission. And when the Supreme Court asks you to apologise, you later attack the Supreme Court as well and say that you do not have faith in the court. You call the Election Commission and the government as thieves. This will neither strengthen democracy nor lead to the revival of the Congress Party,' he added.
Direct Message to Rahul Gandhi
Rijiju addressed the Congress leader directly, urging him to follow the example of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers. 'I want to especially tell Rahul Gandhi, learn from PM Modi and learn from BJP workers, who continuously and selflessly work not for themselves but for the society and the country. You should also do the same. Stop this drama. If you continue serving the people, they will trust you. Continuing with this drama will not help,' he said.
Rijiju also urged the Congress to refrain from amplifying what he described as anti-India narratives. 'Foreign forces constantly push narratives to weaken India, defame the country's constitutional institutions and mislead citizens... at least Congress should refrain from supporting such forces,' he said, 'requesting' the party and Rahul Gandhi to stop promoting such messaging.
Congress and the Emergency Reference
Rijiju invoked the 1975 Emergency imposed during the government of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to question the Congress party's democratic credentials. 'The Congress Party got an opportunity to rule this country for 55 years, and during that period, it imposed Emergency for two years. During the Emergency, the Preamble of the Constitution was changed. This is the character of the Congress Party. And today, they talk about democracy?' he asked.
The reference to Emergency is a recurring BJP talking point, particularly when the opposition raises concerns about constitutional institutions. Critics of the BJP argue that invoking a decades-old event deflects scrutiny from present-day accountability questions.
Context: The INDIA Bloc's Demand
The protest march on Tuesday was organised by INDIA bloc MPs who have been calling for the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, citing concerns about the Election Commission's functioning. The marchers were stopped by security forces before reaching the ECI office. Opposition leaders have argued that the Election Commission's independence requires closer public scrutiny; the ruling coalition has consistently characterised such demands as motivated politicking.
Rijiju, who noted that he himself spent 25 years in the opposition serving people in villages, said the country had 'changed' and was now oriented towards the vision of 'Viksit Bharat' — developed India. 'Now no one can become a Prime Minister just by taking birth in a particular family. The youth of the country are with PM Modi to work towards achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat,' he said, in what was widely read as a reference to the Gandhi family's dynastic politics.
The escalating war of words over the Election Commission signals that electoral accountability will remain a flashpoint between the Treasury and Opposition benches in the weeks ahead.
Point of View
Pivot to the Emergency, dynasty politics, and anti-national narratives. The more substantive question — whether the INDIA bloc's specific concerns about CEC Gyanesh Kumar have any procedural merit — is left entirely unaddressed. The opposition's willingness to take its protest to the street outside the ECI raises the temperature on electoral oversight, a debate that will only intensify as state elections approach. For the ruling coalition, the risk is that repeated dismissals of opposition demands as 'drama' eventually look like deflection rather than confidence.
NationPress
6 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the INDIA bloc protest against the Chief Election Commissioner?
INDIA bloc MPs marched towards the Election Commission of India headquarters on 6 October 2026 to demand the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, citing concerns about the functioning of the Election Commission. Security personnel stopped the march before it reached the ECI office.
What did Kiren Rijiju say about the INDIA bloc protest?
Rijiju termed the protest 'drama' and said the Congress party and its allies had been attacking the Election Commission and the Supreme Court continuously since 2014. He argued that such behaviour neither strengthens democracy nor helps the Congress regain public trust.
Why did Rijiju tell Rahul Gandhi to learn from PM Modi?
Rijiju urged Rahul Gandhi to emulate PM Modi and BJP workers, whom he described as those who work selflessly for society rather than for personal or political gain. He said that genuine service to people, not social-media narratives, is the way to earn a public mandate.
What is the significance of Rijiju invoking the Emergency?
By referencing the Emergency imposed under Indira Gandhi's government — during which the Preamble to the Constitution was altered — Rijiju sought to challenge the Congress's claim to be the defender of democratic values. The Emergency of 1975-77 remains a deeply contested episode in Indian political memory and a recurring BJP talking point.
What did Rijiju mean by 'anti-India forces'?
Rijiju alleged that foreign forces push narratives designed to weaken India and defame its constitutional institutions, and 'requested' Congress and Rahul Gandhi to stop amplifying those narratives. He did not name specific countries or organisations, leaving the charge broadly framed.
