'Indira Locked Democracy Behind Bars, Rahul Keeps Constitution in Pocket': Rajnath Singh Lists Congress's 'Four Unforgivable Crimes'

Lucknow: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday launched a scathing attack on the Congress, asserting that India's democratic institutions "cannot be sacrificed at the altar of political self-interest" and categorising the party's current offensive against constitutional bodies as its “fourth unforgivable crime.”

Addressing a press conference in Lucknow, Singh chronicled what he described as the "dark chapters" of the Congress party, listing four major historical transgressions committed under Congress governance. "I believe that under the protection and governance of the Congress, three of the biggest unforgivable crimes have been committed: Their first unforgivable crime was the emergency imposed by Indira-ji in 1975. Their second unforgivable crime was the 1984 massacre of Sikh brothers and sisters under the patronage of the Congress. And their third unforgivable crime was in 1990, when they supported and saved the government of those who shed rivers of blood of the Ram devotee kar sevaks," Singh stated.

The Defense Minister charged that the Congress is currently perpetrating a fourth historical crime by persistently attacking autonomous institutions and the constitutional framework. "And the fourth is being committed today by the Congress by attacking the Constitution, constitutional values, and constitutional institutions. I want to remind you that in the year 1975, Indira Gandhi locked democracy behind bars. And today, Rahul-ji is attempting to spread anarchy while keeping the Constitution in his pocket. Turn the pages of Congress's history, and you will find many dark chapters," Singh asserted.

Accusing Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi of resorting to "manufactured outrage" and a "politics of disruption," the Union Minister urged him to respect the electoral mandate and introspect on his political conduct. "India's democratic institutions cannot be sacrificed at the altar of political self-interest. This reality must be understood. Through manufactured outrage, attempts to malign institutions, and political opportunism, India's journey of development can never be hindered. Instead of engaging in the 'politics of disruption' in the name of defending democracy, Rahul-ji should respect the public mandate and introspect on his political role—this is my suggestion to him," Singh said.

Singh also said the Congress and its allies were using youth-led protests against the Election Commission to fuel political unrest, alleging that they were seeking regime change in India along the lines of Bangladesh. He added that the opposition was attempting to destabilise the country by turning youth into “pawns in the politics of disorder."

“The developments that have taken place in Delhi over the past few days raise several serious questions. It appears that the Congress and its political allies, both directly and through their affiliated organizations, are attempting to channel the energy of young people not into constructive activities and nation-building, but into instruments of political confrontation and the spread of chaos.”

“Attempts are being made to use the nation's youth as pawns in a politics of chaos. Some seek a regime change—modelled after the events in Bangladesh—openly admitting that they drew inspiration from the situation in Bangladesh; others, meanwhile, brazenly call for the toppling of the government. This makes it clear that their sole agenda is to dismantle democratic institutions and set the country ablaze...their struggle is not for electoral reform, nor is it about SIR or Gyanesh Kumar; it is not for the sake of a bright future for the nation's youth—rather, it is a conspiracy to seize power by inciting anarchy in the country...”

He said that the INDIA bloc was using protests over electoral reforms and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar as a pretext to create unrest and seize power. “India's constitutional bodies cannot be made sacrificial for political interests. This needs to be understood. Through false outrage, attempts to malign institutions, and political opportunism, India's development journey cannot be affected. Instead of indulging in politics of disruption, Rahul Gandhi should respect the public mandate and do self-introspection of his political role.” The Defence Minister's attack comes amid continued protests by opposition leaders, INDIA bloc parties, and student organizations against the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR). 

The Union Government has taken the fight to the Congress after the party and its allies staged protests over the Electoral process and the Election Commission. Leading the charge at a news conference in Lucknow, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said the Congress and its allies were using youth-led protests against the Election Commission to fuel political unrest, alleging that they were seeking regime change in India along the lines of Bangladesh.

He added that the opposition was attempting to destabilise the country by turning youth into “pawns in the politics of disorder." “The developments that have taken place in Delhi over the past few days raise several serious questions. It appears that the Congress and its political allies, both directly and through their affiliated organisations, are attempting to channel the energy of young people not into constructive activities and nation-building, but into instruments of political confrontation and the spread of chaos.”

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday accused Congress of turning the Election Commission into its "puppet" during its rule, citing the appointment of two Election Commissioners in 1993 and alleging that the party had favoured individuals close to the Nehru-Gandhi family.

Attacking Congress over its criticism of the Election Commission and the electoral process, Singh said the party's history contained several "dark chapters" and questioned its allegations of vote theft. "Flip through the pages of the Congress party's history, and you will find many dark chapters. Rahul Gandhi's Congress, which now raises questions about the Election Commission and this country's electoral process, had turned the Election Commission and the electoral process into its own puppet--let me give you some examples of this," Singh said while addressing a press conference.

Referring to the appointments made in 1993, the Defence Minister alleged that Congress government had made sudden changes in the Election Commission by appointing two new Election Commissioners overnight. He also referred to former Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswami's letter to the President recommending the removal of Election Commissioner Naveen Chawla, alleging that Chawla had shared sensitive information from the poll body with Congress leaders. "In 1993, the Congress government made sudden changes in the Election Commission. Overnight, two new Election Commissioners were appointed to the Election Commission. Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswami had written a letter to the President recommending the removal of Election Commissioner Naveen Chawla from his post, and he had accused Naveen Chawla of sharing sensitive information from the Election Commission with Congress leaders. But the Congress not only worked to save Naveen Chawla, but also made him the Chief Election Commissioner. Because he was close to the Nehru-Gandhi family," Singh said.

The Defence Minister also challenged Rahul Gandhi's allegations of vote theft, arguing that the Congress had struggled to secure a majority in the Lok Sabha since the introduction of voter identity cards. "For five to ten decades, elections were held in the country without voter ID cards. In other words, before 1993, voter ID cards did not exist. There was no concrete proof to establish a voter's identity. And ever since voter ID cards were introduced, a majority has become a distant dream for the Congress," he said.

Singh claimed that the Congress had not formed a government at the Centre on its own majority in the Lok Sabha since the introduction of voter ID cards. "Congress claims that its votes have been stolen. But I want to remind you that in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress last won in 1985. It won in 1985, and after 1984, the Congress has not secured a majority in the country. At that time, the Bharatiya Janata Party was a party with just two seats. Now you decide: was this vote theft or a failure to perform? Rahul Gandhi should answer this question," he said.

Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi's earlier description of his allegations as a "hydrogen bomb", Singh said the claims had failed to make the impact that was expected. "He created a huge uproar across the country by calling it a hydrogen bomb. But the truth is that this so-called hydrogen bomb of his didn't even turn out to be a Diwali firecracker," the Defence Minister said.

Singh further accused Congress of committing serious wrongs during its rule, citing the Emergency imposed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975, the 1984 anti-Sikh violence and the killings of Ram devotees and kar sevaks in 1990. "I believe that some of the most unprecedented crimes took place under Congress's protection and during its rule. The first crime was the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi in 1975. The second crime was the massacre of Sikh brothers and sisters in 1984 under Congress's protection. The third crime was protecting those who unleashed a river of blood against Ram devotees and kar sevaks in 1990, thereby saving their government. And the fourth is the harm being inflicted by Congress today on the Constitution, constitutional values and constitutional institutions," he said.

The Defence Minister's remarks come amid continued protests by opposition leaders, INDIA bloc parties and student organisations against the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. Meanwhile, security forces have been deployed in and around Connaught Place ahead of a proposed "Lehra Do Tiranga" rally by Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) activist Abhijeet Dipke at Central Park on Friday to maintain law and order. 

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