Dhappa Gets a Day 3 Twist as Rahul, INDIA Bloc MPs Reach Raj Ghat

NEW DELHI: Delhi Police on Thursday allowed Rahul Gandhi and INDIA bloc MPs to reach Raj Ghat, where opposition leaders staged a brief protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The move came after police stopped opposition marches and detained several leaders during protests over the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Congress said INDIA bloc MPs held a peaceful sit-in at the Gandhi memorial, paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi and prayed for the Modi government to act with "sound judgment". The party accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and CEC Gyanesh Kumar of undermining voters' rights.

Day Three Brings a Different Police Response

Thursday's protest marked the third day of opposition demonstrations linked to allegations of "vote chori", concerns over the SIR exercise and reports of dissent within the Election Commission.

The first major confrontation came on Tuesday when opposition MPs were stopped while marching near the Election Commission office. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi later managed to reach the Akashvani Bhawan complex, where they staged an eight-hour sit-in.

Congress described the episode as "dhappa", a Hindi term associated with tag or hide-and-seek. The party also released a route map alleging that Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi changed their path to enter the complex after police blocked the march.

Jantar Mantar Protest Ended in Detentions

The confrontation continued on Wednesday. Opposition leaders met in central Delhi for lunch before attempting to march towards Jantar Mantar.

Police stopped the group. Several opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, were detained. Delhi Police also registered FIRs related to the flash protests.

By Thursday, the opposition changed its strategy again.

After a lunch meeting hosted by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at a restaurant in Connaught Place, INDIA bloc leaders decided to head towards Raj Ghat. Rahul Gandhi, Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other leaders travelled together in buses.

The convoy eventually reached the Gandhi memorial. Leaders held a short protest before leaving.

Why Raj Ghat Was Significant

The development stood out because Delhi Police had imposed prohibitory orders around Raj Ghat earlier in the day. Despite those restrictions, opposition leaders were allowed to reach the memorial and conduct their brief protest.

There was no prolonged confrontation with police. No mass detention followed, unlike the previous two days.

That change also altered the political messaging. Earlier, the police action itself had become part of the opposition's campaign, with Congress accusing the government of restricting its right to protest.

On Thursday, the opposition instead focused its messaging on the Election Commission, electoral rolls and allegations surrounding the SIR exercise.

Rahul Gandhi Escalates Attack

Rahul Gandhi continued his attack on the government and the Election Commission ahead of the Raj Ghat protest.

He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and CEC Gyanesh Kumar had "hijacked" India through what he described as a "criminal conspiracy". Gandhi also said those responsible would eventually be brought to justice.

Kharge said the INDIA bloc would maintain a peaceful protest at Gandhi's memorial and pray for Modi and Shah to be blessed with wisdom.

The BJP rejected the opposition's allegations.

BJP Questions Opposition's Strategy

BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari attacked Rahul Gandhi during a press conference and questioned the Congress leader's approach to the SIR controversy.

Bhandari raised the issue of opposition appeals related to the electoral-roll revision and questioned whether Rahul Gandhi had confidence in the Supreme Court's process for dealing with the matter.

The political battle is now extending beyond street protests, with both sides using the Election Commission controversy to sharpen their wider arguments over electoral integrity and democratic institutions.

What Happens Next?

The three-day sequence has produced three different protest locations and sharply different encounters with Delhi Police. Tuesday brought a long sit-in, Wednesday ended with detentions, while Thursday saw opposition leaders reach Raj Ghat without a major confrontation.

The focus now shifts to the Election Commission's handling of the SIR exercise and the opposition's allegations of irregularities in electoral rolls. The BJP, meanwhile, is expected to continue challenging Congress over its claims and its decision to take the dispute to the streets.

For the INDIA bloc, the immediate question is whether the Raj Ghat protest becomes part of a longer campaign or remains a short political intervention.

What do you think about the opposition's three-day protest strategy?

Disclaimer: This report is based on information and statements available from the supplied news material and should be read alongside official records and subsequent developments.