Between 2014 and 2026, Indian politics has undergone an almost 180-degree transformation. Communal politics has become the new normal, a relatively free media has reduced itself to lapdog media, and crony capitalism has emerged as a defining feature of the Indian economy.
The Congress, too, has undergone a significant transformation. From being the ruling party at the receiving end of a massive anti-corruption movement, it has now emerged as the principal force leading the Opposition’s fight against the BJP.
The Congress, once on the defensive against a powerful anti-corruption mobilisation, is now leading a broad Opposition campaign against the BJP. Yet, the demand for political change and the question of accountability remain as relevant as ever. If anything, the urgency of that demand was palpable at Sunday’s rally.
Few could understand this political reversal better than Rahul Gandhi, who has spent much of the past 12 years facing relentless political attacks, ridicule on social media and an often-hostile media environment.
When the Leader of the Opposition rose to address the gathering towards the end of the rally, the crowd erupted in slogans and cheers. Amid the noise and sloganeering, Rahul sought to lay out his political strategy before both the gathering and the INDIA bloc. Describing the mobilisation against the Modi government as ‘Shiv ki barat’, he framed the struggle to protect people’s voices as a new form of dharma.
“The voice of every citizen of Hindustan must be raised — this is the most important thing for me,” he said.
Rahul sought to portray the gathering not merely as a show of strength by political parties but as a collective expression of public anxiety. The voices of young people, farmers and workers, he argued, were calling for the protection of democracy and the Constitution.
Outside the political speeches, Rahul’s message appeared to find resonance among sections of the gathering.
Several farmers who had travelled from Haryana said they believed Rahul had been warning the country about the consequences of the government’s policies for years, but that people had failed to take his warnings seriously.
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