Rijiju Dismisses Opposition March as Political Theater

The tension between the government and the Opposition escalated on Tuesday after Rahul Gandhi led a contingent of lawmakers toward the poll panel’s office to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Gandhi alleged that elected representatives were being barred from their democratic right to engage with the commission, characterizing the move as a broader effort to undermine the nation’s electoral integrity. Security personnel eventually blocked the march, leading to scuffles and the detention of several Congress workers who attempted to breach the Akashvani complex.

Rijiju responded by framing the confrontation as a tired routine that has persisted since 2014. He challenged the Congress leadership to abandon what he called anti-India narratives and instead focus on grassroots engagement. According to the Minister, the era where political inheritance guaranteed success is over, and the public now demands service rather than social media-driven protests. He further criticized the party’s historical record, citing the Emergency era as evidence that the opposition’s current rhetoric regarding democratic preservation is contradictory. Rijiju maintained that the path to electoral success lies in aligning with the government's vision of a developed India rather than contesting the legitimacy of the judiciary and the Election Commission.