New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday accused the Congress and its allies of attempting to bring about a Bangladesh-like change of government in India, alleging that they were using the energy of the youth to fuel unrest rather than channel it towards nation-building.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Singh said democratic rights should not be used as a pretext to create disorder or undermine the credibility of constitutional institutions.
“Congress and its political allies appear to be attempting to use the energy of the youth to intensify political confrontation and spread anarchy instead of directing it towards constructive work and nation-building,” Singh alleged. He claimed that young people were being used as pawns in what he described as the politics of anarchy.
Referring to the 2024 developments in Bangladesh that led to the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, Singh alleged that opposition leaders had openly spoken about drawing inspiration from the neighbouring country to bring about a change of government in India.
“They openly speak about taking inspiration from Bangladesh for a change of government, while others talk about bringing down the government,” he said, claiming that such statements raised questions about the opposition’s intentions.
Singh also argued that the opposition’s use of terms such as “regime change” suggested that its protests went beyond demands for electoral reforms or concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
His remarks came amid protests by opposition parties and civil society groups in the national capital over alleged irregularities in the voter-list revision process and their demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Cites Supreme Court observations
Referring to observations made by the Supreme Court on Thursday, Singh said democratic rights could not justify actions that disrupted public order, weakened constitutional institutions or hindered the country’s development.
“Respecting the law is essential to maintaining law and order. India’s democratic institutions cannot be sacrificed for political self-interest,” he said, adding that such tactics would not stop the country’s progress.
The defence minister urged Congress leaders to respect the people’s mandate and introspect on their political approach, arguing that efforts to protect democracy should not turn into what he termed the “politics of destruction”. His remarks came amid a wider political confrontation over electoral-roll revision and demands for accountability from the Election Commission.
