Bogota [Colombia]: Congress MP and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Thursday criticised the Narendra Modi government, stating that the biggest challenge facing India today is the attack on its democratic system. Speaking at EIA University in Colombia, Gandhi highlighted structural flaws in India’s governance and stressed the need to allow the country’s diverse traditions and cultures to thrive.
Democracy under threat
Gandhi emphasised that India’s democratic framework is crucial for protecting diversity, religion, language, and culture. “India has multiple religions, traditions, and languages — in fact, the country is essentially a conversation between all these people and cultures. Different traditions, religions, and ideas require space, and the best method for creating that space is the democratic system,” he said.
He added that the democratic system is currently under attack, which poses a major risk to the nation. Gandhi pointed out that tensions between different communities and ideologies could escalate if India does not ensure space for its diverse population.
Criticism of BJP-RSS
The Congress leader also criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), claiming that cowardice is at the core of their ideology. He referred to statements by India’s foreign minister regarding China and said, “If you notice a statement of the foreign minister, he said, ‘China is much more powerful than us. How can I pick a fight with them?’ At the heart of the ideology is cowardice.”
Gandhi further cited an incident from Vinayak Damodar Savarkar’s writings, where the Hindutva ideologue reportedly described beating a Muslim man with friends and feeling happy about it. “This is RSS ideology, to beat weak people,” Gandhi said. “If five people beat up a single individual and feel happy, that is cowardice. They run away from those who are stronger than them.”
Optimism about India
Despite his criticism, Gandhi expressed confidence in India’s potential, citing the country’s strengths in engineering, healthcare, and other sectors. “I am very optimistic about the country. But at the same time, there are structural flaws that India has to correct,” he said.
Gandhi’s remarks come amid ongoing debates over freedom of speech, diversity, and democratic functioning in India, reflecting the opposition’s continued scrutiny of the government’s policies and ideological stance.