Congress MP Deepender Hooda responded publicly on Friday after an X post went viral for confusing him with former badminton player Prakash Padukone during opposition protests in New Delhi. The social media post featured a video of Hooda alongside fellow Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi during demonstrations against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The user originally claimed that Padukone was marching on the streets while his son-in-law, actor Ranveer Singh, remained a silent spectator.
The Social Media Joke and Hooda’s Reply
Addressing the viral mistaken identity on X, Hooda leaned into the humor of the situation. He joked that neither Deepika Padukone nor Ranveer Singh had reached out to check on him following a recent police crackdown in the capital, and added that Prakash Padukone had not yet asked for his face back. “Deepika has not called to check how I am doing after the police crackdown. Ranveer Singh has not called either. And Prakash Padukone has not called to ask for his face back. Still — glad to be promoted as an All England Badminton Champion, I choose to take this as respect,” Hooda wrote in a post that included two upside-down smiley face emojis.
Protests and Public Scrutiny Over Celebrity Silence
The viral mix-up unfolded against a backdrop of intensified demonstrations in New Delhi. The INDIA bloc, led by the Congress party, organized joint protests where opposition lawmakers took to the streets for three consecutive days to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. These demonstrations followed an investigative report by The Indian Express alleging discrepancies in the electoral roll revision process, including orders issued without the knowledge of Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.
The online attention also coincided with broader public scrutiny regarding the silence of prominent Indian celebrities on political and social issues. Earlier in July, during nationwide protests over alleged question paper leaks in the NEET-UG medical entrance examinations and demands for the resignation of then Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, social media users similarly questioned public figures for failing to use their platforms to voice citizens’ concerns.
Heavy Police Deployments and Security Restrictions in New Delhi
Security measures across Central Delhi during the demonstrations were exceptionally stringent. Authorities made approximately 23,000 police personnel available for deployment between October 8 and October 12. In addition to heavy barricading and the deployment of internet jammers, law enforcement agencies shut down 45 metro stations and curtailed train arrivals at both the New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin railway stations. Prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita were enforced across Central Delhi to maintain public order.
A planned demonstration by the Cockroach Janta Party at Jantar Mantar on October 10 was effectively halted when founder Abhijeet Dipke and co-convenors Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained by police upon arriving in the capital, preventing protesters from reaching the venue.
Questions Remaining Over Electoral Roll Revisions and Movement Restrictions
As political friction persists in the capital, key questions remain regarding the disputed electoral roll revisions and the transparency of the Election Commission’s internal processes. The legal and operational fallout from the heavy-handed security lockdown—which prompted a special Sunday bench hearing by the Supreme Court ordering the restoration of metro, train, internet, and movement rights—continues to develop without a definitive official resolution regarding the demands for leadership changes at the poll body.
