Union minister Chirag Paswan has criticised the Opposition over protests against the Election Commission, accusing it of spreading misleading narratives and creating difficulties for ordinary people instead of pursuing solutions to its concerns.
Speaking on Friday amid heightened security in Delhi ahead of the Cockroach Janata Party’s (CJP) planned demonstration on Saturday and ongoing protests by Opposition parties, Paswan said repeatedly bringing the national capital to a standstill was not appropriate.
His remarks came after students raised concerns about train cancellations, disruptions to metro services and the heavy deployment of security personnel across Delhi.
“Bharat ke yuva hain ye, inko koi nahi rok sakta prabhu. Jo log aise bhram failane ka prayas karte hain, kitini train koi rok lega, kitni connectivity koi rok lega, kitni sadkon ko koi jaam kar dega,” Paswan said.
Translated, he said India’s youth could not be stopped, questioning how many trains could be cancelled, how much connectivity could be restricted and how many roads could be blocked by those attempting to spread what he described as false narratives.
“Bharat ke yuva hain duniya ko raasta dikhane ka kshamta rakhte hain... koi unhe nahi rok sakta,” he added, saying the country’s young people had the ability to show the way to the world.
Paswan accuses Opposition of prioritising protests over solutions
Paswan, who heads the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and is an ally of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), accused Opposition parties of using the controversy surrounding the Election Commission for political gain.
“You are not able to win elections, and now you are creating problems for the common people with protests,” he said, addressing the Opposition.
The minister argued that political parties raising concerns about the electoral process should seek an appointment with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and discuss their grievances directly, rather than resorting to demonstrations.
His comments came as the CJP prepared to hold a protest at Jantar Mantar on Saturday, demanding Kumar’s resignation and electoral reforms. The planned demonstration followed mounting political criticism of the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Train cancellations and metro restrictions trigger debate
The remarks followed restrictions on transport services in the capital ahead of the protest. Indian Railways cancelled train services arriving at and departing from New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin stations between 4 am and 2 pm on October 10. Metro restrictions and heightened security arrangements also raised concerns among people seeking to reach the capital.
The measures were introduced amid preparations for the demonstration and concerns about crowd management and public order. The CJP and other critics have questioned the restrictions, arguing that they could prevent people from exercising their right to peaceful protest.
Paswan’s remarks highlighted the tension between maintaining public order and allowing citizens, particularly young people, to participate in demonstrations.
Paswan had earlier sought clarity from the Election Commission
The minister had also raised concerns last month about reports of internal differences within the Election Commission, urging the poll body, particularly Gyanesh Kumar, to address questions surrounding its functioning.
“The Election Commission must maintain the trust of the people because if doubts arise in the public’s mind about the electoral process itself, that would be wrong. In such a situation, the Election Commission should firmly put forth its points so that no doubts arise in the people’s minds,” Paswan had said.
His earlier remarks followed reports questioning whether decisions within the three-member Election Commission were being taken unanimously. Paswan had called for clarification from the chief election commissioner, but subsequently stepped back from the issue after the Commission issued a statement indicating that its decisions had been unanimous.
The latest comments come as the debate over electoral-roll revisions, the Election Commission’s accountability and the right to protest continues to draw political attention.