09-07-2025
Rahul Gandhi leads ‘Bihar Bandh' protests over electoral roll revisions ahead of Bihar Assembly elections
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, along with Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav and other Mahagathbandhan party leaders, lead a march in protest against the ongoing Special Investigation Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll during the 'Bihar bandh' on Wednesday (July 9, 2025).
A large number of protestors from the Opposition parties hit the streets and blocked the movement of road traffic on Patna's Mahatma Gandhi Setu by burning tyres.
LIVE: LoP Shri Rahul Gandhi leads a protest procession against Electoral Rolls revision in Bihar | — AICC Communications (@AICCMedia) July 9, 2025
Bihar Congress president Rajesh Ram, speaking about Rahul Gandhi joining the protests, said that the Congress MP has 'fought on the streets' whenever the country 'faced a crisis.'
'Whenever the country has faced a crisis, Rahul Gandhi has fought on the streets. Today, voting is on the verge of being banned, we are fighting for it, and Rahul Gandhi is coming here for it,' Mr. Rajesh Ram told ANI.
Mr. Rajesh Ram further criticised Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over the revision of electoral rolls before the Bihar Assembly elections. 'There is a difference between taking a decision while staying in Delhi and taking a decision while staying on the ground. If you had to do this, you should have done it before the Lok Sabha elections.'
Independent Lok Sabha MP from Purnea, Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, along with his supporters, reached Sachiwalay Halt railway station and tried to disrupt the movement of railway traffic.
Mr. Yadav's supporters blocked rail and road traffic in several parts of Patna as well as in other parts of the State, including Araria, Purnea, Katihar and Muzaffarpur.
Speaking to reporters in Patna, he said, 'The Election Commission, through its special intensive revision of electoral rolls, is snatching voting rights from migrants, Dalits, Mahadalits, and poor voters. It's a conspiracy to block votes ahead of the Bihar assembly polls due later this year.'
Workers from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, CPI(ML) Liberation and CPM burnt tyres and blocked roads in support of the Bihar Bandh in Arwal, Jehanabad and Darbhanga as well.
Congress workers, participating in 'Bihar Bandh', lay down on the road to block vehicles from crossing. A Congress worker said, 'We will keep doing this until the government accepts our demands. We will fight to the extent our leadership says... The ruling party is only trying to confuse the people.'
The INDIA bloc leaders burnt tyres and blocked roads at the Maner Assembly stretch of National Highway 30 in Patna district.
At Bhojpur (Ara) and Jehanabad and other districts too, the protestors have stalled the movement of traffic.
Earlier, RJD leader Tejashwi raised 'deep' concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), claiming that those who do not have any of the 11 documents asked for verification of their names will be 'removed' from the electoral roll list.
'The worry is that we have had no clarity from the EC so far. You all know that Bihar EC works only as a post office and has no authority to provide an answer. Why are they not answering the questions of the opposition and the people of Bihar... People of Bihar don't have the 11 documents which the EC has asked for; rather, they have an Aadhar card, MGNREGA card, and ration card. This is the only document that the poor people of Bihar have. It is clear that the people who do not have these 11 documents, their names will be removed,' Mr. Yadav said.
(With agencies' inputs)
