References to “regime change” by anti-SIR protesters led the BJP on Friday to accuse the Opposition of looking to spread “chaos” and “anarchy”, and the Congress to double down and promise to fulfil its “democratic responsibility” of changing the regime.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh and other BJP leaders latched on to legal activist Prashant Bhushan’s comment about a “regime change” and student leader Neha Bora’s message of support to a Bangladeshi student group that participated in the uprising that toppled the Hasina government.
“It appears that the Congress and its political allies — both directly and through their affiliated organisations — are attempting to channel the energy of the youth towards political confrontation and the spread of chaos…,” Rajnath said in Lucknow.
“...One of them openly admitted to drawing inspiration from the events in Bangladesh to bring about a ‘regime change’. Another, meanwhile, brazenly declares an intent to topple the government.”
Rajnath said this indicated the Opposition’s agenda was not electoral reform but to “dismantle democratic institutions and set the country ablaze… it’s a conspiracy
to seize power by inciting anarchy”.
Bhushan had told reporters on Thursday: “We are currently fighting to ensure that elections are conducted properly. But if this kind of brutality continues, there will certainly be regime change. Yes, we all want regime change.”
Neha had in her message to the Socialist Students Front of Bangladesh on Tuesday said that just as they had fought for “democratic and voter rights” and against “religious fundamentalism”, young Indians were doing so now.
Rather than merely a change of government, “regime change” is often understood to refer to more fundamental changes involving political systems, institutions and structures, thus evoking images of rebellions and uprisings.
Congress publicity head Pawan Khera responded to Rajnath at a media conference, playing a video clip of a rally by then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi in 2013.
Modi appears to be saying: “For the first time, across every corner of India, the public is becoming impatient to uproot the government in Delhi.”
Khera said: “’Uproot’ — what was that? That is ‘regime change’. The lawyer they are so furious with — well, he simply mentioned ‘regime change’….”
Accusing the RSS-BJP of having “captured the system” by appointing favoured vice-chancellors, election commissioners and bureaucrats and exerting influence over the armed forces and military schools, Khera said: “This is the ‘regime’.”
“We speak of changing this regime with pride…. We seek a regime change; we are stating it openly — we will bring about a regime change,” he said.
Khera suggested that a “regime change” can be effected democratically: “He (Pranab Mukherjee) said, ‘It is the Opposition’s duty to oppose, expose and, if possible, depose’. That is the duty of the Opposition…. We are determined to see you lose the election.
“Do whatever you wish — file charges of treason, call us ‘anti-national’ — but we will continue our efforts, because this is a democratic responsibility….”
BJP president Nitin Nabin echoed Rajnath, saying: “In democracy, the path to power passes through the mandate of the people, not through chaos.”
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke posted a message on X reaffirming the group’s “commitment to constitutional values” and criticised the “attempts to portray us as anarchists”.
He said that if the “same restrictions, intimidation and police crackdowns been used” against the BJP’s past street protests, many of its leaders now enjoying power “might never have reached where they are”.