Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Friday, 23 October, mounted a robust defence of the Indian National Congress (INC) and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, asserting that without the Congress, India would never have achieved a democratic system of governance. Speaking to reporters at Taj West End in Bengaluru, Shivakumar also pushed back sharply against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s criticism of Gandhi's frequent foreign engagements.

Shivakumar Defends Rahul Gandhi's Global Profile

Responding to BJP barbs over Gandhi's overseas visits, CM Shivakumar framed the Opposition leader as a figure of international standing. 'Rahul Gandhi is the Leader of the Opposition. Many foreign leaders and universities invite him. Rahul Gandhi is a leader whom the entire world is looking towards,' he said.

The remarks come amid a sustained BJP campaign questioning Gandhi's presence abroad while domestic political issues unfold. Critics within the ruling party have argued that the frequent invitations reflect a politically motivated effort to project Gandhi as a global statesman ahead of upcoming state and national contests.

Congress and India's Democratic Foundation

Shivakumar went further, grounding his defence of the Congress in the party's historical legacy. 'The Congress party has a great history. If the Congress had not existed, this country would not have been able to get a democratic system. Even the Prime Minister knows this. We should not forget our roots. If we forget our roots, we will not succeed,' he said.

The Chief Minister then drew a direct line between the Congress-established democratic framework and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's own ability to hold office. 'Since the Congress party gave the country a democratic system, the Prime Minister is sitting in that position today,' Shivakumar added. The remarks are a pointed counter to BJP's broader narrative that Congress is a party in decline, seeking to reinvent itself through Gandhi's profile.

Context: The 'March for Democracy' Controversy

The comments arrived days after a video from the INDIA Bloc's 'March for Democracy' protest in New Delhi on 12 October went viral, appearing to show Gandhi navigating a dense crowd and seemingly pushing or nudging people — including Shivakumar himself — as security personnel attempted to clear a path. The march was organised in opposition to the Chief Election Commissioner and raised concerns over the electoral integrity of the Special Intensive Revision exercise.

BJP leaders, including Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya and party spokespersons, cited the clip as evidence of Gandhi's alleged arrogance and a 'sense of entitlement.' The video became a flashpoint in an already charged political environment.

Shivakumar Dismisses the 'Push' Narrative

Shivakumar categorically denied that Gandhi had pushed or insulted him, calling the BJP's characterisation a deliberate distortion. He described the relationship between himself and Gandhi as one of 'trust, affection and family,' urging the public not to draw conclusions from a ten-second clip taken out of context. He redirected attention to the protest's core concerns — electoral integrity and institutional accountability — rather than the incident itself.

Notably, this is not the first time a Congress leader's body language at a public event has been weaponised in India's increasingly video-driven political discourse; similar controversies have dogged opposition rallies in recent years. With key state elections on the horizon, the Congress is likely to continue pushing back against any narrative that undermines its leadership image.