Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday, 16 October launched a sharp attack on the Indian National Congress at a press conference in Lucknow, alleging that the party's real motive was to seize power by engineering disorder in the country — not to defend democratic institutions as it claimed. Singh invoked recent events in Bangladesh to accuse Congress of championing 'regime change' on Indian soil.

Key Allegations by Rajnath Singh

Singh charged that the protests and political disruptions witnessed in Delhi in recent days were a deliberate attempt by Congress to divert the energy of India's youth away from national progress and toward creating instability. He accused the party of using words like 'regime change' openly at its own press conferences, calling it a declaration of intent to destabilise democratic institutions.

'They want to change the regime like in Bangladesh and openly mention in their press conference that they are motivated by Bangladesh and talk about bringing down the government. It clearly shows that their sole agenda is to destroy democratic institutions,' Singh said.

He further stated: 'They are using words such as regime change, which clearly shows that their fight is neither for the Election Commission nor for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), nor against Gyanesh Kumar, nor for the bright future of the youth. They simply want power by creating anarchy in the nation.'

Direct Warning to Rahul Gandhi

Targeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and his supporters specifically, Singh said democracy could not be used as a licence to cause disorder, damage constitutional institutions, or obstruct India's development trajectory.

'Rahul Gandhi and his supporters must understand that democracy is not a licence to create anarchy, harm constitutional institutions or hinder India's progress,' he said. Singh also warned that laws must be respected to maintain law and order, and that constitutional institutions could not be dismantled for political gain.

Singh's Advice to the Opposition

The Defence Minister urged Gandhi to honour the people's electoral mandate and reflect on his own political conduct rather than pursuing what Singh characterised as disruptive politics under the guise of protecting democracy.

'Rahul Gandhi, instead of causing political disruptions in the name of saving democracy, should respect the people's choice and undertake a self-evaluation of his political role. This is my suggestion to him. India's future is the responsibility of everyone,' Singh said.

Context and Background

Singh's remarks come amid an ongoing political battle over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the functioning of the Election Commission of India (ECI), issues that Congress has used to mount sustained pressure on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Notably, the Bangladesh reference signals an attempt by the BJP to frame opposition activism as a threat to constitutional order — a line of attack the ruling party has deployed with increasing frequency as electoral competition intensifies. The remarks also come at a time when Lucknow, as the capital of Uttar Pradesh, remains politically significant given the state's weight in national elections.