Shashi Tharoor said the Opposition would “never condone any of the violence, setting alight buses and police stations.”
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Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday rejected the BJP's charge that the Opposition was seeking “regime change” similar to Bangladesh and France, while asserting that they wanted to address a “constitutional issue.”
“I think that India is not Bangladesh and India is not France. I don't see these analogies as particularly relevant...” Tharoor said, adding that the Opposition had been calling for “free and fair elections”.
The Thiruvananthapuram MP further said that the Opposition believes in “peaceful protest”. “.. We would never condone any of the violence, setting alight buses and police stations and so on, that has occurred in France. We only believe in peaceful protest... that's the kind of protest that I have participated in, and that I believe the opposition in general supports...” Tharoor told news agency ANI. He said there was “no point distorting a phrase like ‘regime change.’”
Also Read | Uddhav Thackeray backs regime change, says curtailing electoral rights and protests justifies call
#WATCH | Thiruvananthapuram, Keralam | n Union Minister Kiren Rijiju's statement, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says, "I think that India is not Bangladesh and India is not France. I don't see these analogies as particularly relevant... We would never condone any of the violence, setting alight buses and police stations and so on, that has occurred in France. We only believe in peaceful protest... that's the kind of protest that I have participated in, and that I believe the opposition in general supports... As far as the larger issues are concerned, there's no point distorting a phrase like 'regime change' and so on... What we are calling for is free and fair elections... What is troubling today is that large numbers of people have been cut from the electoral rolls as the result of a completely troublesome, irregular, and partially illegal process. This is why we are calling for all this to be undone... It's a constitutional issue. It's not an issue of trying to topple a regime or anything like that..." He adds, "...Democracy is not a gift of anybody... we, the ordinary citizens of India, are the custodians of it... Every Indian citizen has the right to protect our democracy... All I'm saying is we are asking institutions like the Election Commission to behave themselves, to perform as they are required to by the democratic Constitution of India. That's all it is. I'm not in any way challenging these institutions as institutions. I'm challenging the way they are behaving, the way they are conducting themselves, and that is something that honestly all of us in India should be concerned about..."
— ANI (@ANI) October 19, 2026
Tharoor's remarks come after Union parliamentary affairs minister and BJP leader Kiren Rijiju had alleged that some “anti-India groups and politicians had colluded to incite youth and spread violence in India.”
“Regime change in India is absolutely possible—but only through elections, not through Soros,” Rijiju said in a post on X.
‘Not challenging institutions, but the way they are behaving’: Tharoor
Tharoor claimed that “large numbers of people have been cut from the electoral rolls”, referring to the SIR exercise as “a completely troublesome, irregular, and partially illegal process.”
He said the Opposition was calling for it “to be undone”, while adding, “It's not an issue of trying to topple a regime or anything like that...”
He further said that he was not challenging constitutional institutions, but the way in which they were behaving. “... All I'm saying is we are asking institutions like the Election Commission to behave themselves, to perform as they are required to by the democratic Constitution of India. That's all it is. I'm not in any way challenging these institutions as institutions. I'm challenging the way they are behaving, the way they are conducting themselves,” Tharoor told ANI.
He said that this was something “all of us in India should be concerned about.” “Democracy is not a gift of anybody... we, the ordinary citizens of India, are the custodians of it... Every Indian citizen has the right to protect our democracy...” the Congress MP stated.
Also Read | Congress, allies want Bangladesh-style regime change in India: Rajnath Singh
Bangladesh-like ‘conspiracy hatched for India’: Rijiju
In a post on X, Rijiju had claimed, “The violent incident that occurred in Bangladesh and the riots, arson, and looting that took place in France—a similar conspiracy was hatched for India as well.”
He alleged that “anti-India gangs”, along with some politicians, “had colluded to incite the youth and spread violence on our streets.” “But those who devised this dangerous conspiracy forgot that India is neither Bangladesh nor France,” Rijiju added.
Arya Mishra is a Content Producer at Hindustan Times, based in New Delhi, and a key member of the digital news team focusing on urgent breaking developments across India and the world. With a sharp editorial instinct and strong reporting skills, Arya covers high-impact crime incidents, public safety and justice issues, political developments, education policy and international affairs, consistently delivering clear, accurate and timely journalism. Her recent reporting highlights include detailed coverage of serious criminal cases, politics as well as analyses of national education reforms and international diplomatic moves. On the world news front, she has written about global trade policy changes and security developments, including tariff shifts by the United States and strategic counter-terrorism strategies being rolled out by Ministry of Home Affairs. Arya thrives in fast-paced environments – running live blogs, crafting in-depth explainers and real-time news coverage that keeps readers informed as stories evolve. Before joining Hindustan Times, she was a part of The Indian Express online team. Outside the newsroom, she is an avid reader, with a love for thriller and suspense fiction, and enjoys music as a way to unwind. With more than three years of experience in dynamic newsrooms, Arya brings curiosity, clarity and commitment to every story she covers.Read More