Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has warned that the “attack on democracy” is the single biggest threat facing India today. Speaking at an interaction with students at EIA University in Colombia, Gandhi said that India’s diversity of languages, traditions, and religions can only thrive through a strong democratic system, which he alleged is now under severe assault.
“India has tremendous capabilities in engineering, healthcare, and other areas, so I remain optimistic about the country. But at the same time, there are structural flaws that India has to correct. The biggest challenge is the wholesale attack on democracy taking place,” Gandhi said, according to ANI.
Democracy ‘essential for diversity’
Gandhi stressed that India’s strength lies in its plurality. “India is essentially a conversation between multiple religions, traditions, and languages. To allow them to coexist and flourish, space is needed. The best way to create that space is democracy. Today, that system itself is under attack, and that is a major risk,” he told the audience.
He further cautioned that suppressing India’s diversity would only create deeper tensions. “Unlike China, India cannot function in an authoritarian manner. Our design will not accept that,” he said.
Attack on BJP-RSS ideology
The Congress leader also took sharp aim at the BJP and RSS, alleging that “cowardice” lies at the heart of their ideology. Referring to an incident described by V.D. Savarkar, Gandhi said, “Savarkar wrote that he and his friends once beat up a Muslim man and felt happy. If five people beat up one person and call it bravery, that is cowardice. This is RSS ideology to beat the weak while avoiding the strong.”
He also accused the Modi government of undermining India’s democratic values and blamed the BJP-RSS combine for unrest in regions such as Ladakh.
India vs. China: Different paths
Responding to questions on India’s role in the global order, Gandhi said, “India is decentralised, with multiple identities, unlike China’s centralised system. Our diversity is our strength, but it needs democracy to sustain. The greatest risk we face is the attack on democracy itself.”
Gandhi also linked global power shifts to energy transitions, noting that empires in history rose by controlling new energy technologies. He argued that while the U.S. and China battle over the shift to electric mobility, India must navigate its own path while safeguarding democratic values.
The BJP strongly hit back, accusing Gandhi of defaming India abroad. Party leaders dubbed him the “Leader of Propaganda” and said that raising such criticism on foreign soil was “an insult to Indian democracy.”
Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
