Nadda calls INDIA bloc’s rally against CEC a ‘foolish and engineered drama’

Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Sunday (Nov 1, 2026) called a rally by INDIA’s opposition bloc calling for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar a “foolish drama” and accused Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi of “pouring salt into the wounds of Sikhs in Delhi” by holding the Delhi1984 protest. unrest.

Also Read: ‘Chalo Dilli’ protests LIVE

The protest was part of a conspiracy to hand over democracy to anarchy and disorder and would prove to be the final “nail in the coffin” of the “political downfall of the Congress”, Mr Nadda alleged.

“Removing the democratically elected government by conspiring to spread riots and anarchy in Delhi, adversely impacting the earnings of traders and businessmen in Delhi during the festive season and defaming the country are other objectives of the rally,” Nadda told the media.

“November 1 is the ugliest and darkest stain on India’s democratic history. It was on this day that fools under the auspices of the Congress massacred our innocent Sikh brothers. Thousands and millions of Sikh families became homeless overnight,” he said in an apparent reference to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots after the assassination of then Prime Minister Gandhi.

“It is a foolish and engineered drama by people who have been defeated and repeatedly rejected by the public. The public understands this very well,” he said.

The opposition alliance is staging a ‘Chalo Dilli’ protest in the state capital as part of its campaign against alleged election irregularities and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The Congress and Mr Gandhi “cannot hide the dark history of November 1. You cannot escape the answer for the tears of the traders of Delhi”, said the former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president.

Thousands of people were killed in anti-Sikh riots in 1984, but the Gandhi family has yet to apologize to the Sikh community for “their great sin”, Mr Nadda said.

“And look at the insensitivity of the Congress and the small-mindedness of Rahul Gandhi. On this dark day when the country should have remembered those martyrs and victims, Rahul Gandhi stands at Ramlila Maidan and polishes his politics. Rahul Gandhi has poured salt into the wounds of the Sikhs,” Mr. Nadda said.

The Congress leader’s “policy model” involved “lying and spreading rumours” in its first phase, creating anarchy and riots in the second, damaging the economy in the third and destabilizing the country’s elected government at the behest of foreign powers in the fourth, Mr Nadda alleged.

“It’s the festive season. It’s Dhanteras, Diwali, Chhath Puja. All year long, our small traders, street vendors, traders wait for it to make some earnings during these festivals. But Rahul Gandhi doesn’t care that the stoves are burning in traders’ houses. He just wants to light the fire of his politics,” he added.

“Due to the previous protests, the traders of Delhi have already suffered a loss of nearly ₹3,000 crore. And due to today’s political spectacle, it is estimated that our traders are likely to take a hit of more than ₹10,000 crore. Rahul Gandhi’s stubborn business has brought their business to a complete halt today.

Empty Maidan: Floor

Congress’ claim of tens of thousands attending the opposition rally at Ramlila Maidan was false, BJP MP Sambit Patra said in a statement.

“You can see in the background that 40% of Ramlila Maidan, 40% of the space, was empty. Rahul Gandhi and his team claimed that 10 million people would attend. Out of 28,000 seats, around 5,000 to 7,000 were empty at 3.30-4pm.

“We have been following this rally organized by the INDI(A) bloc since morning and listened carefully to Rahul Gandhi’s speech. But in the end it felt like a complete waste of time,” Mr. Patra added.

Published – November 1, 2026 1:42 PM IST