Opposition vows regime change as anti-CEC protests escalate, BJP calls it anarchy

UPDATED: Oct 16, 2026 23:40 ISTOn News Track with Marya Shakil, political tensions escalated over demonstrations against the Election Commission of India's Special Intensive Revision and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The controversy deepened following the detention of Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke and AISA President Neha Bora in New Delhi, alongside remarks from protesters referencing regime change. Senior BJP leaders, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and party spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi, accused the opposition of using student protests to incite anarchy and destabilise the elected government. Rejecting the charges, senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram asserted that the party only supports peaceful, democratic means and does not seek regime change through violence. Chidambaram claimed that the Election Commission abandoned the Special Intensive Revision after twenty-six states in favour of the customary Special Summary Revision following legal scrutiny in the Supreme Court. In response, Trivedi defended the revision process, dismissed the allegations, and argued that legitimate constitutional government change occurs strictly through democratic electoral processes. Read MoreVIDEOS FROM OTHER SECTIONSLATEST VIDEOSDelhi Protests Over Election Commission Face Police Crackdown as Regime Change Row EscalatesA major political confrontation has erupted in New Delhi over protests directed against the Special Intensive Revision and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Delhi Police detained Citizens for Justice and Peace founder Abhijeet Dipke ahead of the planned Tiranga Protest, alongside ISA President Neha Bora at Mandi House. The detentions followed controversy surrounding remarks referencing regime change and drawing comparisons to student demonstrations in Bangladesh. The Bharatiya Janata Party targeted the opposition and activists, accusing them of attempting to destabilise the country, generate unrest, and seize power through anarchy using young demonstrators. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh alleged that the agitations are a pretext to create chaos rather than an effort addressing youth interests or electoral rolls. In response, the Congress defended its position, stating that seeking a regime change through democratic elections is legitimate, noting that similar anti-government agitations occurred during the United Progressive Alliance tenure.'We Have Never Supported Violent Protests': P. Chidambaram on BJP ChargesIn an interview with India Today, senior Congress leader and former union minister P. Chidambaram rejected allegations by BJP leaders that the opposition is planning a violent regime change. Addressing the controversy surrounding the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR), Chidambaram argued that the ECI has abandoned the SIR in remaining states to switch over to the customary Summary Revision (SSR), stating that both processes cannot proceed together. He noted that opposition leaders, including Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, have moved the Supreme Court regarding the exclusion of over 13 crore voters during the SIR process across 26 states. Chidambaram said, "I fervently hope that the Supreme Court will expose the SIR for what it is. It was a mischievous attempt. It is an illegal attempt to exclude 13 crore, 30 lakh voters." Emphasizing his party's commitment to peaceful and nonviolent demonstrations, he asserted that their wider movement focuses on protecting constitutional freedoms and fundamental rights.Protest Is Not a Threat, State Must Not Criminalise Dissent: On Liberty and DemocracyA commentary on Indian politics highlights that peaceful protest is not a threat to democracy but an essential safety valve that keeps it alive. Emphasising that maintaining law and order must not come at the cost of liberty, it notes a crucial difference between preventing violence and criminalising dissent. Detaining activists, arresting protesters, and shutting public spaces cannot serve as the default response to political disagreement. While regime change is ultimately decided by the ballot box and voters, peaceful protest remains a constitutional right rather than a government favour, testing how confidently a nation accommodates its critics.