‘Chakka Jam’ protest rally | In a dramatic show of strength ahead of the upcoming Bihar assembly elections, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav spearheaded a large-scale ‘Chakka Jam’ protest rally in Patna today. The rally, backed by Lalu Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, and Left parties, is aimed at opposing the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The Grand Alliance, or Mahagathbandhan, began its protest march at 10 am, starting from the Income Tax Roundabout and moving towards the ECI office near the Bihar Assembly. Leaders and supporters gathered in large numbers, echoing concerns that the SIR process is designed to systematically exclude the poor, migrants, Dalits, and Mahadalits from the electoral rolls.
LIVE: Protest March | Patna, Bihar https://t.co/Bd9fVdo46E
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 9, 2025
Opposition Calls ECI’s SIR a “Conspiracy”; BJP Slams Protest as Destabilising
Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Ram stated, “This is a direct attack on the voting rights of the poor, migrants, and deprived sections.” He also emphasized that citizens would flood the streets of Patna to oppose what they term as a discriminatory process.
The protest marks Rahul Gandhi’s seventh visit to Bihar in the past five months, underscoring the Congress party’s intensified focus on the state ahead of the high-stakes election. In a related development, Gandhi may also visit the family of slain businessman Gopal Khemka, who was shot dead outside his residence near Gandhi Maidan on July 4 — a murder that has sparked further political tension.
ALSO READ: Modi will meekly bow to Trump’: Rahul Gandhi day after Piyush Goyal’s tough words on trade deals
The ECI’s special revision process, launched on June 24, requires voters to submit forms and one of eleven approved identity documents. However, the Opposition claims this exercise is skewed and exclusionary, particularly towards marginalised communities. The Congress and RJD have jointly labelled the move a “conspiracy to block votes” before the polls.
On the other side, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad criticised the Mahagathbandhan’s stance, saying, “If they organise such programmes for their politics, it also increases tension. Bihar needs peace right now.” He added that the ongoing political manoeuvring will be tested at the ballot box.
Petitions challenging the legality and fairness of the SIR exercise have reached the Supreme Court. The matter, which involves petitioners like RJD MP Manoj Jha, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, ADR, and activist Yogendra Yadav, is scheduled for hearing on July 10.
