New Delhi, October 11, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday said opposition leaders would seek a meeting with the Chief Justice of India (CJI) on Monday to apprise him of their concerns, while accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of creating an atmosphere of chaos and fear ahead of a planned youth agitation.
Kharge said he had written to the CJI seeking an appointment and that Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had also sent a letter. The opposition leaders have requested a meeting between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.
“Tomorrow, we are also going to meet the Chief Justice of India. I have written a letter, and Rahul has also written a letter. We have sought a time between 4 and 5 (p.m). Now, let us see. We will also apprise him. We cannot demand anything from him. We will only request him with folded hands. These are the things that should be kept in mind,” Kharge said.
Alleging that the government had created an atmosphere of fear ahead of the announced youth protest, the Congress president questioned the deployment of a large number of security personnel.
“In the country, chaos is being created by the Prime Minister and Home Minister. Nearly 32,000 policemen and nearly 7,500 CRF were deployed yesterday, which itself shows how much fear he has got because of the announced youth agitation,” he said.
Kharge compared the situation with the Emergency, claiming that restrictions on public movement during the current episode were more severe than those experienced during that period.
“Yesterday also, youths were agitating, but even during the Emergency, such things did not happen. During the Emergency, we were all ministers. No trains were stopped, no flights were stopped, nothing. People used to move freely,” he said.
Recalling his tenure as Education Minister in Karnataka during the Emergency, when D. Devaraj Urs was the Chief Minister, Kharge said people were not arrested unnecessarily.
“I was the Education Minister at that time, and Devaraj Urs was the Chief Minister of the state. We never unnecessarily arrested any people. In fact, many people used to come and request Devaraj Urs, ‘Kindly arrest us.’ Then he refused to arrest them. He said, ‘On what ground can I arrest?’” Kharge said.
The Congress chief also criticised the legal protection available to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and other members of the Election Commission of India under a 2023 law. He alleged that the legislation was introduced by the government to shield election officials from legal action.
“To create such an atmosphere, PM Modi brought the 2023 Act to protect the Chief Election Commissioner and members. That immunity he gave. That immunity is not even for the President of India, not the Chief Justice, but that is given to one Election Commissioner,” he said.
Kharge’s remarks come amid the Congress’s continuing allegations of electoral irregularities and its criticism of the government’s handling of protests.
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