Congress seeking 'anarchy' in India like Bangladesh, Nepal: BJP

As protests by India's opposition parties demanding the resignation of the country's Election Commission head over Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls entered the fourth straight day today (9 October), the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused Congress of trying to create anarchy in the country through street protests "like Nepal and Bangladesh". 

Showing video footage of INDIA bloc's Wednesday (7 October) protest, BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said in a video message yesterday that the way Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Congress workers manhandled police personnel in Delhi makes the party's intention clear.

"The Congress party's strategy is to spread anarchy in India, like Nepal and Bangladesh," he said in a video message.

Overlaying a purported video of the Congress protest, Bhandari said, "Congress party workers are seen trying to assault police personnel with kicks and punches. The policeman is performing his duty there, but a Congress worker pushes him and then kicks him."

On the Election Commission and SIR issue, Bhandari said the matter is already before the Supreme Court and claimed the protests will have no bearing on the judicial proceedings.

The dispute centres on a controversial revision of voters' lists that dropped 130 million voters across India, spurring demands by opposition parties and their student units for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign.

Bhandari said, "When the matter is before the Supreme Court, whether I protest on the streets, someone else does, or Rahul Gandhi does, it will not make any difference to the court."

"Rahul Gandhi thinks that through such visuals, he can put pressure on the Supreme Court's decision and interfere in the judicial process," he added.

The BJP leader also alleged that "global international forces" are working along with Rahul Gandhi to create unrest in India.

"India's democracy is alive, strong and secure, and there is peace in the country. Are some global international forces, along with Rahul Gandhi, who is desperate to come to power, trying to bring the family back to power by burning the country and creating anarchy in it?" he said.

Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders held a street protest against CEC Kumar on Wednesday before being detained by the police later in the evening.

Meanwhile, continuing their protest against Kumar, opposition INDIA bloc leaders are likely to meet President Droupadi Murmu this evening to brief her and submit a representation over the functioning of the Election Commission under Kumar and the SIR process.

A 10-member delegation, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Trinamool Congress (TMC) Chairperson Mamata Banerjee, is expected to meet Murmu. 

The meeting between INDIA leaders and Murmu would come a day before the Cockroach Janta Party prepares to launch a major protest in New Delhi tomorrow demanding the resignation of the top poll official.

As India's national capital is bracing for the protest, Delhi Police Joint Commissioner Madhur Verma today urged police personnel to prepare for the "storm" but exercise restraint.

"Prepare for the storm. Practise restraint. Protect the peace. Because the true strength of the police is not merely in controlling a crowd, but in doing so with discipline, dignity and minimum force," Verma said in a post on X.

Security arrangements have been heightened in Delhi, with the Indian home ministry making available around 23,000 personnel from the Central Armed Police Forces to the Delhi Police for deployment between yesterday and Monday (October 12), officials said.