CHANDIGARH/NEW DELHI - BJP leaders intensified their counter-offensive against the INDIA bloc's rally protesting electoral roll revisions on Sunday, labelling the event a 'flop show' and targeting the timing of the opposition gathering.
Union Minister Amit Shah, addressing Chandigarh Police's 60th Raising Day, stated that Rahul Gandhi could 'hope to be PM only in a mock parliament', referring to Congress's mock CEC impeachment. Shah alleged Sonia Gandhi had resorted to the move since her dream of Rahul becoming prime minister was not fulfilled.
'You (Rahul) want to become PM, stay in mock parliament your entire life; your turn won't come,' Shah said.
The INDIA bloc rally at Ramlila Maidan was dismissed as a 'super flop show' by former party chief J P Nadda. BJP leaders highlighted the rally's timing on the anniversary of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, with Shah stating: 'They chose the very day when genocide of Sikhs happened to hold a rally.' BJP urged Congress not to hold rallies between Nov. 1 and 3, days associated with the massacre following former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination.
Chief Ministers led anti-Congress protests across multiple states. Devendra Fadnavis and deputy CM Eknath Shinde led a march in Thane. Pushkar Singh Dhami led similar protests in Uttarakhand, while Rekha Gupta led them in Delhi. Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Kishanpal Gujjar organised a march in Faridabad. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma joined a protest at Shimla alongside former CMs Jairam Thakur and Anurag Thakur. Uttar Pradesh saw six BJP rallies as part of the counter-demonstrations.
BJP functionaries, including Union minister Bhupendra Yadav, alleged Congress's anti-SIR protest was a ploy to mask Rahul Gandhi's repeated political failures. Charges of 'anarchy' and 'undemocratic conduct' featured prominently across the rallies. The coordinated BJP response underscores the deepening political confrontation ahead of upcoming elections.
