Congress leader Udit Raj on 8 November 2026 defended senior party figure Sonia Gandhi against mounting criticism from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over her reported emotional response to the demolition of the Babri Masjid on 6 December 1992. Raj said Gandhi's tears were an expression of concern for the country's social cohesion, not a partisan gesture.

What Udit Raj Said

Addressing reporters in New Delhi, Raj framed the controversy as larger than the mosque itself. 'The demolition of the mosque was certainly a tragic incident. Her concern was about the country's social fabric, considering that there are 25–30 crore Muslims in this country,' he said.

He added: 'If such a large population is viewed with hatred, excluded from the mainstream and targeted, it will affect India's progress. She was crying for the country and was emotional about the condition the country was in.'

What Triggered the Row

The controversy erupted ahead of the launch of Sonia Gandhi's memoir, 'Belonging: A Journey of Love', in which she recalled breaking down in tears while watching the Babri Masjid demolition on television in 1992. The admission drew sharp reactions from the BJP.

BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi, speaking on Saturday, argued that Indian television was not broadcasting the demolition live throughout the day, and demanded clarification about the source of the footage that had reportedly moved her to tears. He questioned whether Gandhi's sympathies lay with Ram Janmabhoomi or the mosque, asking why a party once associated with Mahatma Gandhi's vision of Ram Rajya was now allegedly invoking Babar's legacy.

Udit Raj's Broader Attack on BJP

Raj also used the occasion to broaden his criticism of the ruling alliance, calling it a 'quadruple-engine government' — a pointed jab at the BJP's 'double-engine government' campaign slogan. 'This is what will happen: the more places they come to power, the greater the damage to the country will be,' he remarked.

He alleged that with the municipal corporation, state government, Lieutenant Governor, and the Centre all under BJP control, governance had deteriorated rather than improved. 'They keep running the government by repeatedly telling lies,' he said.

Context and Background

The Babri Masjid demolition on 6 December 1992 remains one of modern India's most politically charged flashpoints, triggering widespread communal violence that killed hundreds. The Supreme Court in its landmark 2019 verdict awarded the disputed site in Ayodhya to Hindus for the construction of a Ram temple, while directing the government to provide an alternative site for the mosque. Any fresh commentary from senior political figures on the events of 1992 continues to draw intense public scrutiny, as it did this week. The timing — with Gandhi's memoir entering public circulation — has reignited long-standing debates about Congress's political positioning on the issue.