Let us get inspired by Japan for its culture, America for its innovation, Germany for its engineering, Singapore for its discipline and Switzerland for its precision. Let us learn from the best in the world. Yet, the irony is that some choose to be inspired by Bangladesh.
— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) October 16, 2026
The controversy follows comments by All India Students’ Association (AISA) president Neha Bora, who expressed solidarity with Bangladeshi student activists and said their movement offered lessons for young people in India seeking to mobilise around democratic and voting rights.
READ THIS: “Fight Is for Regime Change”: Prashant Bhushan’s Remark Sparks BJP-Congress Showdown
The comparison comes as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and other groups have been involved in protests concerning the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demands related to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Bangladesh’s 2024 uprising began with student protests against the government’s job quota system and escalated into a wider movement that led to the ouster of then prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August that year. The developments have since become a point of political reference in India.
The BJP has criticised comparisons with Bangladesh, alleging that such remarks suggest an attempt at regime change. Opposition leaders, meanwhile, have maintained that protests and demands for political change in India must take place through democratic means.