New Delhi: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has alleged that India’s democratic system is facing a “wholesale attack,” sparking a fresh political storm back home. Speaking at EIA University in Medellín, Colombia, during his ongoing South America tour, Gandhi said India’s diverse traditions, religions, and ideas can only thrive within a democratic framework.
“We cannot replicate China’s model, which suppresses its people and enforces an authoritarian system,” Gandhi argued, stressing that India’s strength lies in its complexity and diversity. While expressing optimism about the country’s future, he warned that the biggest risk India faces today is the ongoing assault on democracy.
His remarks drew a sharp backlash from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which accused him of “defaming India on foreign soil.” Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said it would have been more appropriate for Gandhi to extend Vijayadashami greetings to Indians rather than criticizing the country abroad. He alleged that Gandhi has made a habit of speaking against India whenever he travels overseas.
BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya echoed the criticism, stating, “Once again, Rahul Gandhi goes abroad and undermines India’s democracy and its people, simply because they have rejected him more than 90 times.”
The exchange has once again underscored the deep political divide between the ruling BJP and the Congress, with Gandhi positioning himself as a defender of democratic values while the BJP accuses him of repeatedly tarnishing India’s image internationally.
