New Delhi, Oct 13: The BJP on Tuesday slammed Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi over the INDIA bloc’s march to the Supreme Court, accusing him of attempting to exert political pressure on the country’s highest court by mobilising crowds on the streets.

Speaking to media, BJP Bihar president Sanjay Saraogi said the protest was a direct insult to the judiciary and accused the Congress of turning the issue into a political spectacle.

“Rahul Gandhi is making a disgraceful attempt to put political pressure on the country’s highest court by gathering crowds on the streets. This is a direct insult to the judiciary. The Chief Justice had clearly stated that political memorandums cannot be accepted in cases that are pending before the court. Despite this, staging a spectacle with Akhilesh Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav reflects desperation,” he said.

He further said that the Supreme Court is not a stage for electoral drama.

“It is shameful to portray those who pelted stones at the police as representatives of democracy. The Supreme Court is a place where people seek justice, not a stage for Congress’ electoral drama,” Saraogi said.

BJP MP Jagdambika Pal said Opposition leaders had the right to protest but questioned their decision to march to the Supreme Court to submit a memorandum.

“Absolutely, they have this right. The Chief Justice had said that the doors of the Supreme Court are open to everyone. But has there ever been a Leader of the Opposition in the country, since Independence, whom anyone could have imagined marching against the judiciary? They are marching to the Supreme Court to submit a memorandum. Neither Rahul Gandhi has knowledge of the Constitution, nor of parliamentary traditions, nor of the independence and impartiality of the judiciary,” Pal said.

He further accused the Opposition of damaging India’s international image through its protests and attributed its actions to frustration over electoral defeats.

“We are not opposing, but they are trying to degrade India’s image at the international level with these protests. Under the leadership of PM Modi, whether in the US or any other country, the way he is providing leadership, whether to Trump, Putin or anyone else, is noteworthy. But it is their frustration, given the way people have rejected them. On the issue of SIR, he is inviting the INDIA bloc leaders for lunch or now for tea,” Pal said.

Referring to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Pal also questioned the Opposition’s criticism of the exercise, saying, “With that SIR only, he has been chosen as MP. Today, Karnataka, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh and Kerala have their governments.”

Bihar Minister Pramod Kumar said, “The Supreme Court is not a place for protests. They went there to stage a protest, showing that they have no constitutional understanding. Rahul Gandhi is behaving like someone desperately struggling without water. Sometimes he suddenly hugs people, sometimes winks at someone, sometimes kisses someone in a public place, and at other times engages in such acts. We have never heard of protests being held inside the Supreme Court. We, too, have emerged from student movements, but we fail to understand the purpose of such a protest.”

Patna, Oct 13: East Champaran Police raided the residence of an alleged land mafia in Bihar’s Motihari and seized Rs 27 lakh in cash, four firearms, around 100 cartridges and more than 65 land-related documents, officials said on Tuesday.

Sharma’s son, Sahil Sharma, was arrested during the operation, while Rakesh Sharma was reportedly not present in the house. The raid was conducted on Monday night on the instructions of East Champaran SP Swarna Prabhat.

The team included three deputy superintendents of police (DSPs) and personnel from five police stations. The search continued for approximately four hours, during which officers examined cash, weapons and documents found at the premises.

During the search, police recovered Rs 27 lakh in cash, two rifles, two pistols and approximately 100 cartridges. Six bottles of branded liquor were also seized. Police are verifying the licences and legal status of the recovered firearms.

Investigators are also examining the circumstances surrounding the possession of the weapons and the source of the cash. More than 65 documents related to land registration were recovered during the raid.

The land associated with these papers is estimated to be worth over Rs 15 crore.

Police are examining the documents to establish ownership details, verify registration records, and determine whether any irregularities occurred in the transactions.

Officials have not yet confirmed any wrongdoing involving the documents, and the findings will depend on the outcome of the investigation.

Police are questioning Shahil Sharma about the recovered cash, firearms, liquor, and land-related documents.

According to police sources, Rakesh Sharma’s name has previously surfaced in connection with land disputes and complaints involving alleged illegal business activities.

Investigators are now examining the recovered records and related transactions to establish whether any offences were committed. Police are searching for Rakesh Sharma.

Meanwhile, Chhatauni police are proceeding with the registration of an FIR and examining the legal aspects of the seizure.

Further action will depend on the evidence gathered during the investigation.

Bhopal, Oct 12: Madhya Pradesh Congress leaders, led by Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar, reached New Delhi on Monday to join Rahul Gandhi’s campaign against alleged vote theft and demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Upon reaching New Delhi, Madhya Pradesh Congress legislators and senior party leaders staged a sit-in on Barakhamba Road, accusing the Election Commission of irregularities in electoral rolls.

The protest is part of the Congress’s wider campaign against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists and its allegations of electoral manipulation.

Singhar said the entire Madhya Pradesh Congress had reached Delhi to stand with Rahul Gandhi in what the party described as a fight to protect democracy.

“The entire Madhya Pradesh Congress has come to Delhi to fight alongside Rahul Gandhi to protect democracy. If we have to go to jail for this fight, we are ready. We will not retreat until Gyanesh Kumar resigns,” Singhar said.

Former Madhya Pradesh Congress president Arun Yadav accused the Chief Election Commissioner of facilitating alleged vote theft under the protection of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He said the party would continue its agitation until Kumar stepped down and announced that a march to the Supreme Court would also be taken out.

“Gyanesh Kumar has facilitated vote theft under the protection of the Prime Minister. We will continue our protest until he resigns,” Yadav said.

The Madhya Pradesh Congress has been protesting against the revision of electoral rolls and demanding accountability from the Election Commission.

On October 8, the party organised demonstrations across the state, including a march in Bhopal led by former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh, state Congress president Jitu Patwari and Singhar.

The party’s campaign follows Rahul Gandhi’s recent protests in Delhi, where opposition leaders sought to raise questions about the electoral process and demanded Kumar’s resignation.

The Election Commission has defended its procedures, saying political parties must follow the prescribed process to seek meetings with its officials.

The Delhi demonstration also saw participation from Congress Working Committee member Kamleshwar Patel, former Leader of Opposition Ajay Singh, former minister Sajjan Singh Verma, senior MLA Arif Masood and Tarun Bhanot.