Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Monday, 2 November 2026, launched a sharp attack on the Congress over its claims of being a guardian of democracy and the Constitution, invoking the Emergency of 1975 and the forced resignation of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose as party president to challenge its democratic credentials. Yadav made the remarks while addressing a BJP foot march in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, organised under the party's 'Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy' campaign.

Bose and the Tripuri Episode

Drawing on Jabalpur's historical connection with Netaji, Yadav recalled that Subhas Chandra Bose was elected Congress president at the Tripuri session in 1939 but was subsequently compelled to step down following internal party differences. He alleged that pressure exerted by Jawaharlal Nehru and his supporters effectively forced Bose out despite a legitimate electoral mandate within the party.

'When the Congress could not stand by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, how can anyone expect it to stand by others?' Yadav said, framing the historical episode as evidence of a deeper intolerance for dissent within the party.

The Emergency as a Democratic Indictment

Yadav also cited the Emergency imposed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975 as a defining moment of Congress's alleged disregard for constitutional norms. He accused the party of dismissing court verdicts and undermining constitutional institutions including the Election Commission of India during that period.

'The Congress, which today talks about protecting the Constitution, has a history marked by the Emergency, disregard for court verdicts and disrespect towards constitutional institutions such as the Election Commission,' he said.

Electoral Decline and the Gandhi Family

The Chief Minister argued that the Congress had been reduced to a fringe force across the country, claiming the party had effectively disappeared from 80 per cent of India. He attributed the party's mounting criticism of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to its repeated electoral defeats rather than principled opposition.

Yadav also took aim at the Gandhi family, alleging that it remained uncomfortable with Prime Minister Narendra Modi — whom he described as having risen from a humble, poor background — occupying the country's highest office. Critics of such characterisations, however, argue they are standard political messaging rather than substantive policy debate.

BJP's 'Save Democracy' Campaign

The Jabalpur march drew participation from state BJP president Hemant Khandelwal, state ministers, public representatives, and party workers. Yadav thanked democracy activists, social workers, and prominent citizens who joined the march, saying the gathering had sent a message of support for Modi's continued leadership.

The BJP has been rolling out foot marches under the 'Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy' campaign across the state as a counter-mobilisation to the Congress's sustained criticism of the Modi government. With assembly-level outreach intensifying, the campaign signals the BJP's intent to keep the democratic credibility debate alive heading into the next electoral cycle.