'Divert, distract, spread lies': Congress rebuts BJP’s ‘regime change plot’ charge

The Congress on Thursday hit back at the BJP over its allegation that the opposition party was hatching a "regime change plot", saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ecosystem, in its "desperation and nervousness", was trying to "divert, distract and spread lies" but would not succeed.

The Congress' attack came after the BJP cited a media report on alleged links between riots in France and the recent protests in India, claiming it exposed the opposition party's "anarchy and regime change plot" and calling Rahul Gandhi a "gaddar" (traitor).

According to a report published in The Times of India, a Fox News digital investigation has claimed to have uncovered links between the riots in France and protests in India demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.

Hitting back at the BJP, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said "vote chori" was a proven reality.

"According to the ECI’s own data, over 10 crore Indians face the risk of losing their Constitutional right to vote. The ECI illegally altered Form 6 to create barriers for new voters. It has facilitated the widespread abuse of Form 7 for targeted deletions," Ramesh said on X.

He alleged that the CEC had used the ECINET to centralise control of the electoral roll, overriding all legal safeguards.

"The nation is outraged. There is widespread anger. Protests continue despite repression. The PM's ecosystem, in its desperation and nervousness, is now trying to divert and distract, doing what is in its very DNA -- spread lies. It will not succeed," Ramesh said.

The Congress leader asserted that the PM-HM (Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah) duo had been "brutally exposed" and would be held accountable by the people.

His remarks came after BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia alleged that Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was presenting a model of anarchy and "gaddari" before the country.

"Today, a report has appeared in a newspaper, detailing how these alleged links of betrayal are connected to foreign agencies. Therefore, it would not be wrong to ask, 'Who is the leader of these traitors?'" Bhatia said.

"Rahul 'gaddar'," he charged.

"It is India's misfortune that the leader of the opposition is irresponsible and immature. And if I present the evidence before you, it would not be wrong to call him a traitor or Mir Jafar," he said.

Bhatia claimed that a Fox News investigation had found that organisations had built an ecosystem across nine countries, including France, to attempt to overthrow elected governments. He described it as a "red-green ecosystem of protest".