Bogota: Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha (LoP) Rahul Gandhi on Thursday (October 2) targeted the Narendra Modi Government during his interaction at EIA University in Colombia. Hitting out at the Modi government, Gandhi said that the biggest threat to India is the "attack on democracy".
"India has many religions, traditions, and languages. A democratic system provides a place for everyone. But right now, the democratic system is under attack from all sides,” the Congress MP said.
When asked about India’s growing stature in the world, the Congress leader said that the country has tremendous potential with its 1.4 billion people. He then compared India’s democratic system with that of China’s centralised form of governance.
“But India has a completely different system from China. China is very centralised and uniform. India is decentralised and has multiple languages, cultures, traditions, and religions. India has a much more complex system,” Gandhi said.
Hitting out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in the Centre, the Congress MP said, as quoted by NDTV, “There are fault lines within the Indian structure; there are risks that India has to overcome. The single biggest risk is the attack on democracy that is taking place. India is a conversation between all its people. Different traditions, religions, and ideas require space. And the best method for creating that space is the democratic system. And currently, there is a wholesale attack on the democratic system in India.”
"Some 16-17 different languages and different religions. Allowing these different traditions to thrive, giving them space to express themselves, is very important for India. We cannot do what China does: suppress people and run an authoritarian system. Our design will not accept that,” he added.
BJP’s Reaction:
The BJP slammed the Congress MP for his remarks during his interaction with students of the university in Columbia.
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari in an X post said, “Rahul Gandhi ATTACKS Indian Democracy from foreign soil yet again! Rahul Gandhi is Anti Constitution. Rahul Gandhi is against Indian democracy. Rahul Gandhi is dangerous for Indian democracy! Who is the foreign hand trying to control Rahul Gandhi that forces him to abuse Indian AGAIN & AGAIN?”
Actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut called Gandhi a “disgrace”.
“Rahul Gandhi is a disgrace, and everyone understands that he tries to malign the country's image wherever he goes. He doesn’t pitch against the government but against the country. He brings shame to the nation, and the nation is ashamed of him,” the Mandi MP said.
Shehzad Poonawalla said that the Congress MP is “Leader of Propaganda”.
Shehzad Poonawalla's X post |
Once again Rahul Gandhi behaves like LoP the Leader of Propaganda. Goes abroad and attacks Indian Democracy! After all he wants to fight Indian state! Sometimes Demands US UK should intervene into our affairs and now this From Sena to Judiciary to Sanvidhan to Sanatan !” Poonawalla said in an X post.
Similar Statements By Rahul Gandhi In The Past From Foreign Soil:
This is not the first time Gandhi targeted the Modi government from foreign soil. In 2024, the Congress MP also made similar remarks at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom about Indian democracy “under attack”.
During an event in London in May 2022, Gandhi alleged that federal agencies like the CBI and ED were being misused and the “soul of India is under attack”, reported India Today. In 2018, the Congress leader had targeted PM Modi during his visits to the UK and Germany.
