HYDERABAD: “India is actually no longer a democracy,” claimed Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday. Addressing the Bharat Summit, he spoke of the weakening of democratic institutions since 2014, questioned the legitimacy of elections and called for a response to what he described as fascist forces through love, compassion, truth and non-violence.
Referring to the 2024 general elections and the subsequent revision of electoral rolls, Rahul Gandhi questioned how the electoral process could be considered legitimate if millions of people who had voted were later declared non-existent or non-voters.
“If 140 million people who voted in the 2024 general elections were declared either non-existing or non-voters a few months afterwards, the question arises: if 13% of these voters are illegal, non-voters, how is that election possibly legitimate?” he asked.
He also questioned the fairness of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), alleging that large numbers of voters were being added to and deleted from electoral rolls.
Moving beyond electoral politics, Rahul Gandhi called upon people, particularly Congress workers and leaders from across the world, to confront what he described as fascist forces without resorting to hatred, anger or violence. He said the principles of Mahatma Gandhi remained relevant and could serve as powerful political instruments even today.
Recalling the Bharat Jodo Yatra, he said his interactions with people during the journey had changed his understanding of the relevance of Gandhian principles.
Even within the Congress, there had been a perception that truth and non-violence were outdated political tools, but the journey had shown him that people continued to believe in these values.
Rahul says Gandhian values still resonate with people
“Direct interactions with people have changed my understanding of the relevance of Gandhian principles. Even within the Congress, there had been a perception that truth and non-violence were outdated political instruments. The journey demonstrated that people continued to believe in those values,” he said.
‘Unity against fascist forces’
Rahul also spoke about the difficulties faced by the Opposition in reaching people, pointing to the dominance of the prime minister in the media and what he described as the capture of institutions.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi occupies television 24x7, and the Opposition did not know what to do as institutions had been captured. Forty-five cases have been filed against me, and I have to travel across the country to attend to them,” he said.
Rahul said these concerns had prompted him to undertake the Bharat Jodo Yatra and connect directly with people across the country. He maintained that forces he described as fascist could not be challenged through anger, hatred or attacks, but only through sustained engagement with ordinary people. Such struggles, he said, had existed in the past, continued in the present and would carry on in the future.
Turning to the influence of money in politics and business, Rahul alleged that it was increasingly shaping the country’s electoral process and economic direction. “The assets of the BJP have increased 11-fold. There is huge influence of large sums of money on elections since the 2014 general election,” he said.
Putting these concerns in a global context, he said democratic, secular and progressive movements were facing similar challenges in several parts of the world. He called on leaders and citizens to work together towards a new world order rooted in love, compassion and mutual respect.
Revanth urges people to back Rahul Gandhi
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy called on people from all walks of life to extend their support to Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi in his fight against what he described as the autocratic rule in the country.
He criticised the Union government for cancelling the visas of several delegates from 70 countries invited to the Bharat Summit, warning that the world was watching India.
Meanwhile, Italian leader and Secretary General of the Party of European Socialists Giacomo Filibeck led a chant of “Vote thief, get off the throne” during the summit. Gandhi, who was on stage, was seen laughing as the chant rang out.