Congress hits back: BJP labelling opposition 'anti-national' out of fear, says Pawan Khera
Synopsis
Congress's Pawan Khera fired back at the BJP on 16 October, calling the ruling party's 'anti-national' labelling a sign of fear rather than principle. With Rajnath Singh's Bangladesh-analogy hanging in the air, the exchange has widened into a broader fight over electoral legitimacy, institutional independence, and who gets to define dissent in a democracy.
Key Takeaways
Pawan Khera of the Congress addressed a press conference at party headquarters in New Delhi on 16 October 2026 .
He rejected Rajnath Singh's claim that the opposition was attempting a 'Bangladesh-style regime change,' calling electoral opposition an 'integral part of democracy.' Khera presented an old video of PM Modi allegedly calling for 'uprooting' the government prior to 2014 , arguing the BJP applied a double standard.
He questioned why the Modi government refused to remove Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar amid opposition scrutiny.
Khera denied that the Supreme Court reprimanded Rahul Gandhi , saying the court's remarks targeted a different petitioner entirely.
He alleged the RSS had placed its people across government institutions since the BJP came to power.
Congress leader and party spokesperson Pawan Khera on Friday, 16 October 2026, sharply rebuked the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), asserting that the government was branding legitimate democratic opposition as 'anti-national' and 'anarchic' solely out of fear of losing power. Speaking at a press conference at Congress headquarters in New Delhi, Khera, who chairs the party's Media and Publicity department, said rising public anger across the country had made the ruling dispensation 'nervous and jittery.'
What Triggered the Remarks
Khera's response came after Union Minister Rajnath Singh alleged that the Congress and its allies were attempting a Bangladesh-style regime change by inciting anarchy. Khera rejected the charge outright, stressing that changing a government through elections is an 'integral part of democracy' and not an anarchic act.
'BJP, rattled by the fear of losing power, is characterising this democratic opposition as anti-national,' Khera said at the press conference.
Congress's Core Argument
The Rajya Sabha MP drew a sharp distinction between electoral opposition and anarchism, arguing that the Congress's stated goal is to defeat the government at the ballot box, not through unconstitutional means. He cited historical precedent, recalling that during the 2012–13 protests against the then-United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, the BJP itself had extended support to street demonstrations. He also presented what he described as an old video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, recorded prior to 2014, in which Modi allegedly spoke of 'uprooting' the then-central government — pointing to what he called a double standard.
'Have you ever seen an opposition take to the streets to protest in support of the government?' Khera asked, directing the question rhetorically at the Union Minister.
Election Commission and Institutional Concerns
Khera also trained his fire on the BJP's defence of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and its current chief. He questioned why the Modi government was unwilling to remove Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that every time questions were raised about Kumar, 'the entire BJP rushes to defend him.' He further claimed that since the BJP came to power, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) had effectively placed 'its own people into every institution,' a process he described as 'RSS-ification' of the country.
On the Supreme Court Remark
Responding to a question about media reports suggesting the Supreme Court had reprimanded Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Khera clarified that the court's remarks were directed at a different petitioner and not at Gandhi. He accused the BJP of holding a press conference without verifying the Chief Justice's comments and deliberately spreading false information. Khera reaffirmed that the Congress remains committed to removing the current government through constitutional, electoral means and expressed confidence that such a change would come.
Point of View
Rajnath Singh is attempting to associate electoral opposition with instability — a framing that, if it sticks, raises the cost of dissent. Khera's counter-move, turning the lens back on BJP's own pre-2014 protest record and the Election Commission's independence, is tactically sound but risks getting buried in a media cycle that amplifies the original charge more than the rebuttal. The deeper issue — whether India's institutions are perceived as impartial by a broad cross-section of citizens — is precisely what neither side has an incentive to address honestly.
NationPress
16 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Pawan Khera say about the BJP calling the opposition 'anti-national'?
Khera said the BJP was labelling democratic opposition as 'anti-national' out of fear of losing power, not on any principled basis. He stressed that seeking a change of government through elections is a standard democratic process.
Why did Rajnath Singh use the Bangladesh analogy against Congress?
Union Minister Rajnath Singh alleged that Congress and its allies were attempting a Bangladesh-style regime change by inciting anarchy. Khera rejected this, drawing a clear distinction between street protest and unconstitutional action.
What did Congress say about Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar?
Pawan Khera questioned why the Modi government was unwilling to remove Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar despite opposition scrutiny, and alleged the entire BJP mobilised to defend the ECI chief whenever questions were raised about him.
Did the Supreme Court reprimand Rahul Gandhi as BJP claimed?
Khera denied it, clarifying that the Supreme Court's remarks were directed at a different petitioner, not Rahul Gandhi. He accused the BJP of spreading false information without verifying the Chief Justice's actual comments.
What historical parallel did Congress invoke to counter BJP?
Khera recalled that the BJP supported street protests against the UPA government in 2012–13 and presented a pre-2014 video of PM Modi allegedly calling for 'uprooting' the then-central government, arguing the BJP was applying a double standard.
