Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, launched a sharp attack on the Indian National Congress at the Bharatiya Janata Party's 'Save Democracy, End Anarchy' (Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao) march and rally in Jodhpur, accusing the party of having 'trampled' constitutional values, civil liberties and democratic institutions throughout its political history. Sharma said the Congress — which positions itself as democracy's foremost guardian — had itself imposed the Emergency in 1975, jailed opposition leaders, muzzled the press and violated citizens' fundamental rights.

Emergency and the Constitutional Record

Charging Congress with a pattern of institutional subversion, Sharma pointed to the party's repeated use of Article 356 of the Constitution to dismiss state governments led by opposition parties. He alleged that the same party that imposed the Emergency now routinely questions constitutional bodies — including the Election Commission of India, electronic voting machines, and at times the judiciary — whenever it loses an election. 'While every citizen has the democratic right to dissent, raise questions and protest, making baseless allegations against constitutional institutions and issuing political threats to their officials is contrary to democratic values and decorum,' he said.

Vajpayee's Vision Invoked

Sharma recalled a statement made by former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna awardee Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1997, when his government lost a confidence vote by a single vote. Vajpayee had reportedly expressed confidence that the BJP would eventually govern across the country and that the Congress would face its own political reckoning. Sharma argued that Vajpayee's foresight was now reflected in the BJP's steadily expanding public support base nationwide.

Dynastic Politics and Internal Congress Strife

The Chief Minister accused Congress of being consumed by dynastic politics, corruption and appeasement, alleging that its leadership had grown deeply disconnected from ordinary citizens. He claimed that within the party, family privilege consistently overrides the commitment and hard work of grassroots workers. Sharma also highlighted what he described as visible internal fissures at a recent Congress event in Rajasthan, noting that Rajasthan Congress President Govind Singh Dotasra was addressing the gathering while former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot was reportedly not even given a place on the stage — a consequence, Sharma suggested, of Gehlot's own political conduct.

Targeting Gehlot's Tenure

Directly targeting Gehlot, Sharma alleged that the previous Congress government in Rajasthan was marked by political instability and persistent power struggles, with the administration preoccupied with what he called 'hotel politics' rather than addressing public grievances. He questioned Gehlot's claims of being a champion of farmers' interests, referring to him sarcastically as a 'magician'. Sharma also raised allegations of examination paper leaks, corruption in Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) appointments, and the arrest of ministers and officials from the earlier administration in connection with the Jal Jeevan Mission scam, alleging that Gehlot had prioritised his relatives and associates over the public.

BJP's Commitment and Modi's Development Vision

Sharma asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's sole commitment was to national service, and that Modi would continue working until every poor family had a permanent home, poverty was eliminated, India became self-reliant and dynastic politics came to an end. He claimed that under the current dispensation, 500 million people had been lifted above the poverty line and that India's security and sovereignty remained paramount — contrasting this with what he alleged was Congress's support for and protection of infiltrators. The rally, Sharma said, reflected the BJP's firm commitment to upholding the dignity of constitutional institutions and respecting the public mandate.