Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has launched a sharp critique against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from an international platform, alleging a systemic attack on India's democratic framework. Speaking at the Hertie School in Berlin, Gandhi claimed that the country's institutions are being 'captured' and weaponised against political opponents.
Institutional Framework Under Assault, Says Gandhi
During a discussion titled 'Politics is the art of listening', Gandhi presented a grim picture of India's current political landscape. He asserted that there is a "wholesale capture of our institutional framework" by the BJP. He specifically pointed to investigative agencies, stating they have been turned into weapons. "Look at the cases against BJP people and those who are against them," he said, highlighting what he perceives as a clear bias.
Gandhi elaborated that an atmosphere has been created where institutions are failing to perform their designated roles. "The BJP sees the institutional framework of India as though it belongs to them. They use it as a tool for building political power," he alleged. The video of this interaction was later uploaded by the Indian National Congress on Monday evening.
Allegations of Stolen Elections and Electoral Machinery Failure
When questioned about the Congress party's repeated failures in recent state elections, Gandhi reiterated his controversial claim of "elections being stolen." While acknowledging victories in Telangana and Himachal Pradesh, he insisted that other elections were not conducted fairly.
"We don't feel the Maharashtra elections were fair," he stated. He further referenced press conferences where the Congress had "clearly shown" that they won the Haryana elections, implying the results did not reflect the actual outcome. Gandhi framed this as part of a larger "full-scale assault" on the nation's institutions.
He revealed that the Opposition has posed direct questions to the Election Commission of India but has not received satisfactory responses. "We fundamentally believe there is a problem with the electoral machinery in India," Gandhi concluded, pointing to a deep-seated distrust in the process.
Blueprint for Opposition Resistance and Views on Pollution
Confronting these challenges, Gandhi vowed a strategic response. He pointed out the significant financial disparity between the BJP and the Opposition parties. Despite this, he promised to architect a robust system of resistance. "There is an attack on the democratic system. As the Opposition, we have to find ways to counter this… We will create a system of Opposition resistance which will succeed," he declared, expressing confidence in eventually removing the BJP from power.
In a separate part of the discussion, Gandhi also addressed the issue of pollution in Indian cities like Delhi. He dismissed the notion of an inherent contradiction between production and pollution, stating the outcome depends on policy choices. "It depends on the type of fuel you use and the type of energy and how you fuel that production," he explained.
He advocated for strong government intervention, suggesting that regulating and transforming industries located outside Delhi could significantly reduce the capital's pollution levels. Gandhi's comments in Berlin underscore the escalating political rhetoric and set the stage for a fiercely contested battle of narratives in the lead-up to future elections.
