LUCKNOW: Thousands of students and members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) participated in a large rally in Lucknow on Sunday, October 18, 2026. The rally, which commenced from Lucknow University and concluded at Gandhi Chowk in Hazratganj, was held under the banner of ‘Stop Anarchy, Embrace Democracy’. Participants conveyed a unified message against attempts to undermine democracy and its institutions.
ABVP Calls for Democratic Processes
The ABVP stated that governments in India should be changed through elections and not through mob pressure or coercive politics. ABVP National Secretary Abhay Pratap Singh, addressing the gathering, emphasized that India’s democracy is built on public trust, the right to vote, and the independence of constitutional institutions. He asserted that the authority to change governments rests solely with the people, who exercise this power through their votes.
Information available with The Chenab Times indicates that the organization stressed that electoral grievances should be addressed through evidence and constitutional procedures, rather than by pressuring institutions or fostering distrust. The rally also drew parallels to political developments in Bangladesh and Nepal, with ABVP asserting that such scenarios are not conducive to India’s democratic framework.
Upholding Constitutional Institutions
Singh further stated that questioning the credibility of institutions like the Election Commission and the Supreme Court for political gain is against democratic propriety. He highlighted the ABVP’s success in student union elections in various universities, including Delhi University, Uttarakhand, Kerala, and Odisha, as evidence of students’ belief in the democratic process and the ‘Nation First’ ideology. The widespread participation in the Lucknow rally, according to ABVP, reflects students’ commitment to democratic values and the dignity of constitutional institutions.
The organization urged the youth of the country to remain vigilant in safeguarding the dignity of constitutional institutions, democratic values, and national interests, opposing anarchy and mobocracy through democratic means. ABVP also commented on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, describing it as a regular administrative process and that allegations of irregularities should be raised with evidence before appropriate constitutional forums.
The rally aimed to raise students’ voices on campus issues and promote democratic participation. Participants marched to convey a clear message that the power to change governments in India lies with the people, and that anarchy or coercive politics has no place in a democratic system. The event underscored the ABVP’s stance that while political dissent is welcome, attempts to bring about governmental change through mob pressure or by targeting constitutional institutions are unacceptable.
The Chenab Times News Desk