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Row erupts after Congress leader compared to Umar Khalid in Delhi
February 26, 2026: A fresh political controversy has broken out in the national capital after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) put up posters outside its Delhi office targeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The posters reportedly compared him with Delhi riots accused Umar Khalid and carried the slogan, “One anarchic mindset, different anti-national faces.” The campaign has sparked sharp reactions amid an already heated political climate.
BJP spokesperson R. P. Singh defended the move, alleging that both figures shared a similar ideological approach and intent to create disruption during high-profile international events. He claimed that just as unrest coincided with former US President Donald Trump’s 2020 India visit, recent developments around an AI Summit in Delhi reflected a similar pattern. The BJP accused Gandhi of enabling actions that could damage India’s global image.
The Congress party has not yet issued a detailed response to the poster campaign. The episode underscores intensifying friction between the BJP and the opposition Indian National Congress, with debates over nationalism, dissent and political messaging once again taking centre stage.