After Monday, Tandav Oppn to Continue Flash Protests

Tuesday was a day of hectic political activity over cups of tea. At the “Chai Pe Charcha” meeting of INDIA bloc members at the residence of Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, the opposition parties decided to hold flash protests to maintain the momentum of their agitation, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Addressing the media briefly, Rahul did not reveal the action plan discussed or the decisions taken. He merely said that the protests would continue until they achieved their goal. He alleged that the “main architect, Modi, implementer Amit Shah, and Gyanesh Kumar and others cannot get away”. He added that the noose was tightening around their necks and that they could not escape.

The opposition parties have decided to take a break from the agitations against the Chief Election Commissioner till the Dussehra festival is over. They would restart their protests with a mega rally on November 1 at the Ramlila Maidan, according to sources.

While expressing “extreme respect” for the Supreme Court, Rahul said the Opposition hoped the court would play its role. However, irrespective of the court’s actions, political resistance would continue. The BJP reacted by asking the Congress to clarify whether it would abide by the Supreme Court’s verdict or not.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal, addressing a press conference earlier in the day, remarked that the biggest “red flag” for the Congress was Rahul Gandhi himself. He attributed the party’s electoral defeats to Rahul’s leadership and said he was in “delusion” mode.

The other Opposition leaders had little to add beyond reiterating their resolve to fight unitedly. CPI leader D. Raja said civil society groups, farmers’ organisations and labour unions would also join the protests soon. Sanjay Raut of the Shiv Sena (UBT) described CEC Gyanesh Kumar as “Mafia”.

Social activist and advocate Prashant Bhushan argued that the government cannot denotify Jantar Mantar as a protest site, asserting that it had no right to decide who could protest and where. He maintained that people could protest in various public spaces, including footpaths and parks.

Representatives of the Samajwadi Party and Supriya Sule of the NCP were among those who participated in the meeting.

Meanwhile, the Congress has asked its cadres, mobilised from different states, to stay back in Delhi, indicating that more flash protests could follow.

On the other hand, the BJP has taken up the case of Richa Pasricha, a woman journalist who was allegedly pushed by Rahul Gandhi while attempting to get a sound bite for her news channel, causing her to fall and sustain injuries. She is now recovering in a hospital. She said she was three months pregnant. BJP leaders accused Rahul and the Congress of lacking basic humanity, alleging that nobody from the party had even enquired about her condition. When asked about the incident, Congress leaders said they did not believe Rahul would have done anything of the sort. Is this smash patriarchy mark of Rahul, they asked.

The BJP also raised the issue of dismissed JNU professor Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, against whom allegations of seeking sexual favours from female students have been made. BJP workers staged a protest outside the Congress headquarters in Delhi. BJP women MPs also met President Droupadi Murmu, seeking action against Akoijam, a Congress MP, and demanding his suspension from the Lok Sabha.

The BJP delegation was led by MP D. Purandeswari and included Mahila Morcha president Roop Kumari Choudhary and Delhi MP Bansuri Swaraj.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gowri V

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A Journey of Three Decades Time passes faster than we realise. What feels like a journey that began only yesterday has today grown into more than three decades of a meaningful and fulfilling life devoted to education, journalism, and the empowerment of young minds. My professional journey began with journalism training in New Delhi in 1979. I went on to work as an independent journalist, drawing on my fluency in both English and Telugu. Over the years, I have edited and worked on Telugu articles in both languages, an experience that strengthened my command of language and sharpened my understanding of society, people, and contemporary issues. Yet, my principal profession and enduring passion have always been teaching. My decision to become a teacher was not merely a career choice—it was a calling. Teaching offered me the rare privilege of inspiring young minds, guiding them through their formative years, and making a lasting difference in their lives. I found immense satisfaction in simplifying complex concepts, nurturing curiosity, encouraging independent thought, and building confidence among students. Every moment in the classroom—every question, every moment of discovery, and every spark of understanding—reminded me why I had chosen this path: to empower young people through knowledge, values, and essential life skills. My teaching career began at the grassroots level as a Montessori teacher and gradually progressed to the position of Vice Principal. I had the opportunity to work in reputed educational institutions, including Dilsukhnagar Public School in Hyderabad, where I shouldered both teaching and administrative responsibilities. Although I have always considered myself, at heart, a teacher, my administrative experience enabled me to understand and contribute to the education system from a much broader perspective. For my students, I have always tried to be an approachable and dependable presence—someone they could turn to not only for academic support, but also for guidance and emotional encouragement. At the same time, I developed a reputation as a firm disciplinarian who believed that integrity, fairness, responsibility, and discipline were fundamental to education. I was also consistently appreciated for maintaining clear communication with parents and staff and for ensuring that examinations and other academic processes were conducted with transparency, fairness, and efficiency. As my career progressed, however, I began to feel that academic education alone was not enough. This realization led me to work more closely with students following the SSC and CBSE curricula, while consciously bringing life-skills education into my teaching. I came to understand that education becomes truly meaningful when it prepares children not merely to pass examinations, but to face life. Teaching emotional resilience, self-reliance, social awareness, communication, decision-making, and other practical life skills often had a deeper and more lasting impact than academic achievement alone. I saw how these skills could help students navigate challenges with greater confidence, maturity, and responsibility. My academic background provided a strong foundation for this approach. My degree in Psychology from the University of Madras helped me develop a deeper understanding of young people's minds, their emotional needs, and the influence of their family and social environments. My M.A. in Telugu with First Class from Osmania University.

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