‘200 OFFICIALS ARE FEEDING US INFORMATION’: RAHUL GANDHI CHALLENGES MODI AS OPPOSITION TAKES ‘VOTE THEFT’ FIGHT TO SUPREME COURT

October 12, 2026

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday claimed that approximately 200 officials working under the Narendra Modi government were in contact with the Opposition and sharing information, including personnel associated with the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Ministry of External Affairs. His remarks came as INDIA bloc leaders prepared to march towards the Supreme Court, intensifying their campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral irregularities.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Gandhi directly challenged Prime Minister Modi, asserting that the government’s own officials were communicating information to opposition leaders despite the escalating confrontation over the Election Commission. He did not publicly identify the officials or disclose the nature of the information they were allegedly sharing.

“I want to tell Narendra Modi that 200 officials of your government are in touch with us and informing us,” Gandhi said, referring to officials from the ED, CBI and the foreign ministry. The claim, which was not independently substantiated during the press conference, added a new dimension to the political battle surrounding the proposed opposition march.

Gandhi also sharpened his attack on Kumar, suggesting that the chief election commissioner was under increasing pressure because of the campaign against him. He claimed to have been receiving messages from Kumar and alleged that the election chief was experiencing sleepless nights. Gandhi warned that the Opposition would continue pursuing the matter and would not allow the allegations surrounding the electoral process to disappear from public attention.

The Congress leader said the opposition campaign was driven by fundamental questions about electoral integrity, particularly the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Opposition parties have alleged that the process has resulted in irregularities affecting voters’ rights and have demanded Kumar’s resignation. The Election Commission and the BJP have rejected accusations of deliberate electoral manipulation.

Gandhi accused the Centre of turning Delhi into a fortress to protect the chief election commissioner. He claimed that thousands of police personnel had been deployed across the capital and alleged that people were being prevented from reaching Delhi by train and bus, with some passengers reportedly being forced to disembark.

He described the security operation as a serious political mistake by the government, arguing that the extensive deployment would draw greater attention to the Opposition’s allegations rather than suppress them. Gandhi said the more the authorities protected Kumar, the more the Opposition would seek to establish who was politically responsible for the decisions being questioned.

The Congress leader also alleged that some police personnel were distressed by instructions to use force against young protesters, while accusing authorities of allowing members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) greater freedom. Gandhi claimed that some police personnel supported the Opposition’s campaign and believed its protests should continue. These assertions were made by Gandhi and were not independently verified.

His remarks came after several days of demonstrations in Delhi demanding Kumar’s resignation. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and associated student organisations had attempted to organise a gathering at Jantar Mantar on October 10, but Delhi Police refused permission and mounted a sweeping security operation. Thousands of people were reportedly detained during the crackdown, including activists, lawyers, students and opposition leaders.

The handling of those protests has become a separate source of political controversy. Opposition parties have accused the authorities of suppressing peaceful dissent, while the government and police have defended the restrictions on public-order grounds. The Supreme Court has intervened over allegations that transport services were unnecessarily disrupted and peaceful protesters were illegally detained, directing authorities to maintain essential services and comply with the law.

Gandhi announced that INDIA bloc leaders would approach the Supreme Court on Monday with a petition seeking action over the alleged “vote chori” and the conduct of the chief election commissioner. The planned march represents an effort to move the confrontation from street demonstrations towards a constitutional challenge, while keeping public pressure on the Election Commission.

In his address, Gandhi portrayed the conflict as a wider struggle between citizens seeking electoral accountability and those he accused of facilitating the manipulation of the democratic process. He named Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Kumar and several members of the Election Commission as figures whom he believed bore responsibility for the alleged wrongdoing. The accusations remain political claims rather than established findings of electoral fraud.

The latest intervention by the Congress leader has intensified an already volatile dispute over the credibility of electoral-roll revision, the independence of the Election Commission and the government’s response to protest. His claim that hundreds of officials are communicating with the Opposition is likely to attract further scrutiny, while the proposed Supreme Court march places the demand for Kumar’s resignation at the centre of the day’s political confrontation.

With the INDIA bloc preparing to submit its case to the highest court, the dispute now combines allegations of electoral manipulation, claims of internal government dissent and criticism of the police crackdown. Whether the Opposition can substantiate its accusations through the legal process remains unresolved, but Gandhi’s remarks signal that the campaign against the chief election commissioner is entering a more direct and confrontational phase.