Rahul Gandhi Announces ‘Mission to Restore Democracy’, Opposition Plans INDIA Plus Group

The Opposition on Tuesday announced a “mission to restore democracy”, intensifying its political campaign against the Centre’s decision to remove Jantar Mantar from the list of designated protest sites. Led by Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, opposition parties also proposed forming an “INDIA Plus” group to bring together political parties, activists, students and other organisations in a coordinated campaign to defend democratic rights.

The announcement followed a meeting of opposition leaders at Gandhi’s official residence in New Delhi, where participants reviewed Monday’s march to the Supreme Court and discussed their next steps. The leaders decided to await the court’s response to their petition challenging the government’s decision before organising another massive march in the national capital.

Addressing the media after the meeting, Gandhi said the opposition’s campaign had a single objective: restoring democracy in India.

“We are all standing here together as one. As I said yesterday, there are no parallel protests. There is one singular protest, and the protest has one mission: restoration of democracy in India,” Gandhi said.

He accused the government of undermining democratic institutions, the electoral system and the Constitution. Gandhi maintained that the opposition would continue its joint political fight to restore what he described as genuine democratic rule.

Rahul Gandhi vows to challenge Jantar Mantar decision

Gandhi criticised the Centre’s decision to de-notify Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site, arguing that the location had long provided citizens with a platform to express their grievances and democratic aspirations.

He said the opposition would challenge the decision and resist any attempt to restrict people’s ability to raise their voices against the government.

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“It is not going to be so simple for the government to decide that the Indian people will not fight for their voice,” Gandhi said, adding that the opposition would continue its struggle to defend the Constitution and democratic processes.

He also thanked citizens in Delhi and other parts of the country for supporting Monday’s march to the Supreme Court. According to Gandhi, the mobilisation reflected public sentiment and was not merely an initiative driven by political parties.

The Union Home Ministry has designated Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground and CBD Ground in east Delhi as protest sites. Opposition leaders, however, rejected the argument that demonstrations should no longer take place at Jantar Mantar.

A senior opposition leader said the decision to wait for the Supreme Court’s response would not prevent parties from continuing decentralised protests at the site.

Opposition plans INDIA Plus group and mock Parliament

The meeting, which lasted more than two hours, brought together senior leaders from several opposition parties, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule.

Representatives of the CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML) Liberation, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Samajwadi Party, Shiv Sena (UBT) and other political organisations also participated. Student leaders and activists, including AISA president Neha Bora and Yogendra Yadav, were present.

The proposed INDIA Plus group is intended to expand the opposition’s campaign beyond established political parties by bringing students, activists and other organisations into the movement.

Participants also discussed a preliminary plan to organise a mock Parliament targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Gandhi reportedly urged opposition leaders to remain prepared for surprise demonstrations that could be organised at short notice, potentially within 24 hours.

However, the opposition decided against announcing another large-scale march immediately, choosing instead to wait for the Supreme Court’s response to its petition.

Opposition leaders intensify attacks on BJP and Gyanesh Kumar

During the meeting, several opposition leaders accused the government of restricting democratic freedoms and questioned the role of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary MA Baby drew a parallel between the opposition’s allegations of electoral malpractice and the decision concerning Jantar Mantar.

“After vote chori, the government has even done ‘chori of Jantar Mantar’,” Baby said.

He further alleged that Gyanesh Kumar had aligned himself with the ruling party, accusing him of undermining electoral integrity and democratic rights.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut also criticised the government, claiming that the protests under Gandhi’s leadership would continue despite political pressure.

Meanwhile, AISA president Neha Bora described the dispute as a broader struggle over the future of Indian democracy and the Constitution.

“When we say ‘We the People versus the BJP’, we are talking about one fight,” Bora said, accusing the BJP of attacking democratic institutions and constitutional principles.

She argued that citizens would not remain silent if restrictions on protests prevented them from demanding voting rights and accountability.

Bora also emphasised the role of ordinary citizens in establishing and defending India’s democratic system, saying they would not accept what she described as a compromised democracy or a stolen mandate.

With the proposed INDIA Plus group, discussions on a mock Parliament and the possibility of short-notice demonstrations, the opposition appears intent on sustaining pressure on the Centre. Its next major move, however, will depend partly on the Supreme Court’s response to the petition challenging the decision on Jantar Mantar.

The controversy has now become a focal point of the opposition’s wider campaign over electoral integrity, constitutional safeguards and the right to protest, setting the stage for another round of political confrontation between the INDIA bloc and the BJP.