Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday accused the BJP of pursuing politics based on religion, weakening democratic institutions, and misusing central investigative agencies against its political opponents, a report said.
Addressing an award ceremony in Jaipur, Gehlot said that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi would have banned the BJP if she were in power today, alleging that the party engages in religion-based politics, which he claimed runs contrary to the spirit of the Constitution.
"What is their (BJP) mindset? They are weakening the country by deliberately pushing a religious agenda--targeting Muslims... They do this to show the citizens that they are a 'Hindutva' party...," he alleged.
"The Constitution guarantees equal rights to people of all faiths. Religion should not be used as a political instrument," Gehlot said.
The Congress veteran described the ideological positions of the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as "dangerous" and accused the ruling party of selectively invoking national leaders such as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel for political gain while disregarding their core values.
Questioning the BJP's commitment to inclusivity, Gehlot pointed to the absence of Muslim MPs from the party in the Lok Sabha. He also alleged that senior Muslim leaders, including Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Shahnawaz Hussain, have been marginalised within the organisation.
Earlier, Gehlot had urged all regional parties that separated from Congress to rejoin and "wholeheartedly accept Rahul Gandhi as their leader", saying the move is vital to protect democracy in India.
Addressing the political scenario, Gehlot backed Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut's earlier call, stating, "I believe that what Sanjay Raut has said has merit. The time has come. Now the fight is to save democracy. When we are all in the battlefield fighting to save democracy, then what Sanjay Raut said, I support it."
Drawing a comparison with the political landscape during the tenure of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, he said, "Back in the day, during Indira Gandhi's time, it was Congress versus all other parties... The 'Congress hatao, desh bachao' campaign was launched against Indira Gandhi, yet within just two and a half years, the public brought her back to power..."
BJP slams Congress' 'Emergency mindset'
The BJP slammed Gehlot's remarks alleging that the opposition party still suffers from an "Emergency mindset" and poses a threat to democracy.
Reacting sharply, BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said Gehlot's remarks show that the Congress has not learnt any lessons from the Emergency imposed under Indira Gandhi.
"Ashok Gehlot's statement makes it clear that the Congress is anti-democracy. The Gandhi-Vadra family is the biggest threat to Indian democracy. If Congress comes to power, it will impose an Emergency and destroy democracy," Bhandari said in a video post on X.
He alleged that the Congress continues to justify the Emergency instead of apologising for it.
"Congress has not learnt from the Emergency even today. Instead of apologising for imposing the Emergency, it continues to eulogise it," he said.
The BJP spokesperson further alleged that the opposition party would not hesitate to impose another Emergency if it returns to power.
"Congress leaders are saying that if the party returns to power, it can again impose an Emergency. This shows that the Congress still carries the Emergency mindset," he said.
Bhandari also accused the Congress leadership of seeking to suppress political rivals.
"Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and the Gandhi-Vadra family want to ban political rivals. Congress believes in suppressing opposition voices and weakening democracy," he alleged.
"The people of the country understand this political conspiracy of the Congress. That is why they have kept the party in the opposition," Bhandari said.
Another BJP national spokesperson, Shehzad Poonawalla, also attacked Gehlot, stating that his remarks reflect the party's "emergency and intolerant" mindset toward Hindutva and Hindus.
"Hindutva has been defined as a 'way of life' by the Supreme Court. However, the Congress party — which has essentially transformed into the Muslim League Congress — now wants to ban the political expression of Hindutva and Hindus?" he posted on X.
Referring to the eras of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, Gehlot said Congress has historically fought against a united opposition and that the current political situation demanded a broader opposition front against the BJP.
"Had a leader like Indira Gandhi been in power today, she would have banned a party like the BJP. You cannot run a political party on the basis of Hindutva and religion. The Constitution does not permit politics in the name of religion," Gehlot said.
(With inputs from PTI, ANI)