"Why Take To Streets If You Respect Constitution": Minister Calls Opposition Protests "Anarchy"

Union Commerce minister Piyush Goyal today sharply joined the critics who have been vehemently opposing the Opposition tactics of hitting the road to seek the dismissal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the controversy on Special Intensive Revision of voter lists. In that context, he also quoted BR Ambedkar -- the architect of the Constitution: 'When constitutional methods are available, abandoning them is the grammar of anarchy".

The Opposition protests, which started on October 10, have been condemned as provoking the people and anarchy by the BJP. 

The Supreme Court, Goyal said, has upheld the constitutional validity of Bihar's SIR in May 2026.

As for the Form 6, the judicial process is already in progress. The court is examining whether Form 6 is appropriate, and if any corrections are needed, it will direct them, Goyal said. 

If the Opposition, as they claim, "truly respects the Constitution, why take to the streets?" he questioned.

The explanation? "Babasaheb Ambedkar once used a phrase, and I quote: 'When constitutional methods are available, abandoning them is the grammar of anarchy.' When constitutional avenues and methods are available to you, but you refuse to follow or respect them, you demonstrate that you are an anarchist and believe in the path of anarchy," he said.

Delhi has been witnessing massive protests since October 10 after the Opposition decided to lean hard on the government over a report that the voter list revision had caused a schism within the Election Commission, with two of the Commissioners expressing their reservation on SIR and Form 6 in writing no less than 14 times. 

Over the last days, opposition leaders including Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi and thousands of people were detained multiple times. Leaders of the youth group Cockroach Janata Party were picked up by the police from aircraft when they reached Delhi. Extensive prohibitive measures were taken, with metro rail and stations shut down and many roads closed and barricaded - practically bringing the national capital to its knees. 

The Supreme Court took note of the matter after multiple petitions were filed and had strong comments for the authorities.