'Not Bangladesh or France': Congress Slams 'Regime Change' Narrative
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and Pawan Khera reject comparisons to France and Bangladesh, demanding free and fair elections over electoral roll issues.
The Indian National Congress has strongly dismissed allegations that the opposition is seeking a "regime change" through violent means, asserting that their demands are rooted in constitutional rights and the necessity for free and fair elections. This reaction comes amidst a heated political debate where the government and some international reports have drawn parallels between domestic unrest and violent upheavals in France and Bangladesh.
Tharoor Rejects International Analogies
Speaking to ANI, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor emphasized that India's political landscape is fundamentally different from that of France or Bangladesh. He dismissed the relevance of such analogies, stating clearly that the opposition does not support or condone violence.
"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," Tharoor stated.
Tharoor clarified that his participation in protests has always been based on peaceful demonstration, a principle he believes the broader opposition supports.
The Fight for Electoral Integrity
Addressing the "regime change" accusations, Tharoor argued that the narrative is a distortion of the opposition's actual goals. He pointed toward a specific constitutional grievance: the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
According to Tharoor, the SIR process has been "troublesome, irregular, and partially illegal," leading to the removal of a significant number of citizens from the electoral rolls. He maintained that calling for the reversal of these removals is a matter of constitutional integrity, not an attempt to topple the government.
Pawan Khera Slams 'Tired Tropes'
Adding to the critique, Congress Rajya Sabha MP Pawan Khera described the comparison between Indian protests and those in Europe as "comparing apples with oranges." Khera alleged that the government is using a "tired, dangerous trope" to paint Muslims as inherently violent and militant.
Khera claimed that the narrative is designed to frame peaceful movements for education, transparency, and justice as part of an "anti-India agenda." He further alleged that individuals affiliated with the Sangh have previously posed as Muslims to provoke communal discord and discredit legitimate protests.
He drew a sharp distinction between the situations, claiming that while rioters are the primary actors in European unrest, in India, the "State and state-sponsored non-state actors" are the ones employing brute force against peaceful citizens.
The Government's Stance
The Congress response follows allegations made by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, who claimed that a conspiracy similar to those seen in Bangladesh and France had been plotted in India. Rijiju alleged that "anti-India gangs" and certain politicians colluded to incite youth and spread violence.
Rijiju asserted that while regime change is possible in India, it happens exclusively through the ballot box and elections, not through external influences or figures like George Soros.
Global Context
The domestic debate coincides with international reports, including a Fox News Digital investigation from October 9, which alleged that far-left, communist, and socialist groups are utilizing student protest movements in France to further their agendas, identifying 50 organizations linked to the network.