Opposition targets Modi govt over ‘undeclared emergency’ in Delhi ahead of youth protests

Mallikarjun Kharge. File | Photo credit: PTI

From using an iconic dialogue from the 1975 Hindi classic Sholay to writing a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that Jantar Mantar remains open for protests, opposition leaders have targeted the Narendra Modi government for the unprecedented restrictions and “undeclared emergency” in Delhi.

Government fears: Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge played the iconic film dialogue delivered by actor Amjad Khan as Gabbar Singh — jo dar gaya samjho mar gaya (one who is afraid is considered dead) — to take a dig at the government for the restrictions in place ahead of a youth protest called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and other student organizations against Kumar Gyor’s alleged election commissions.

“They (the government) are afraid. Aur jo aadmi darta hai vo aaj nahi toh marta hai tomorrow,” Mr Kharge told reporters at the Parliament House complex.

His colleague, General Secretary (Organization) KC Venugopal claimed that there was an “undeclared state of emergency” in Delhi. “We will continue with our opposition,” he told reporters.

Stop Intimidation: Left

In a joint statement, the Left parties, including CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML)-Liberation, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and All India Forward Bloc (AIFB), demanded that the Delhi Police and the Union government stop intimidating potential participants and allow them to proceed to Jantar Mantar for the proposed demonstration.

Communist Party of India MP P Sandosh Kumar wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allow the protests at Jantar Mantar.

“Article 19 of the Constitution guarantees us the freedom to assemble peacefully. We are law-abiding citizens, elected representatives of the people, students and youth of the country,” Kumar said.

“Our demand is very simple: we want to peacefully protest our collective grievances against the total collapse of India’s electoral democracy and demand the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar. This is our democratic and fundamental right,” he added.

Published – 9 Oct 2026 22:22 IST