Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders on Tuesday, 20 October launched a sharp attack on Shiv Sena (UBT) Member of Parliament Sanjay Raut after he posted on X appearing to draw a lesson for India from reported protests in Albania, where demonstrators allegedly set fire to the country's Supreme Court building. Multiple BJP leaders accused Raut of inciting anarchy and demanding a formal apology from Uddhav Thackeray's faction.

What Raut Posted

In his post on X, Raut wrote: 'The people of Albania have burned down the Supreme Court. The people were enraged because the Supreme Court was helping corrupt prime ministers. The protesting public has also attacked the parliament and government offices, as well as the ministers' homes. All countries should learn a lesson from these events. Especially India.'

The post drew immediate condemnation from ruling party leaders, who argued it amounted to an implicit threat against India's constitutional institutions.

BJP's Reactions

BJP leader Syed Shahnawaz Hussain said Raut's remarks constituted a threat to both the government and the Supreme Court. 'He is saying that lessons should be learned from how the Supreme Court in Albania was set on fire. What message is he trying to convey? Is he trying to threaten the Supreme Court? Uddhav Thackeray should apologise to the Supreme Court for the kind of statement Sanjay Raut has made,' Hussain said.

BJP leader Guru Prakash Paswan questioned whether Raut was holding up Albania as a model for India, and linked the controversy to a recent Kerala Congress tweet calling for the removal of the Chief Justice of India. 'The country runs according to the Constitution. There are constitutional procedures. They are trying to create an atmosphere of anarchy,' Paswan said.

BJP leader Kirit Somaiya went further, alleging a pattern of attacks on constitutional bodies by the opposition. 'They want anarchy. First, they insulted and abused the President, then the Election Commission, and then the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Now, they want the Supreme Court to be burned. The people of India will not tolerate anarchy. A contempt petition against Sanjay Raut is currently underway in the Supreme Court, and he will get his answer there,' Somaiya said.

Voices in Support of Raut

Not all opposition leaders distanced themselves from the controversy. Congress leader Udit Raj expressed support for Raut's underlying sentiment, citing what he described as inconsistencies in bail decisions by courts. 'When bail is granted, no reasons are given, and Umar Khalid is denied bail. Bail is the rule, so why is it being denied? Why was it granted to others? There should be a speaking order,' Raj said.

Shiv Sena (Shinde) Weighs In

Shiv Sena leader Anand Dubey, speaking on the occasion of Vijayadashami, rejected any comparison between India and countries that have witnessed civic unrest. 'Throughout history, righteousness has always triumphed over unrighteousness, justice over injustice, and truth over falsehood. To those who pray or wish for India to burn, for chaos, violence, and arson to spread, or for our nation to descend into conditions like those seen in Albania, France, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, or Nepal, know that this cannot happen here; this is India,' Dubey said.

The row comes as a contempt petition against Raut is reportedly already pending before the Supreme Court, adding a legal dimension to the political firestorm. With the BJP pressing for an apology and opposition voices divided, the controversy is unlikely to subside quickly.