On Tuesday, 14th January, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi openly declared hostility not just against his political rivals but shockingly against the Indian state itself. While addressing party members during the inauguration of the new AICC headquarters in New Delhi, he said, “Do not think we are fighting a fair fight. If you believe we are fighting against a political organization called BJP and RSS, they have captured almost every institution in our country. We are now fighting not just the BJP and RSS, but the Indian state itself.” This audacious statement reflects a disturbing narrative, directly challenging the very fabric of the nation’s institutions and governance.

Gandhi did not stop at this inflammatory declaration. He questioned the recently concluded Maharashtra state assembly elections, stating, “Something went wrong in the Maharashtra elections.” By casting vague doubts without evidence, he appears to undermine the democratic process itself, a move that is both irresponsible and dangerous for someone in his position.

In his tirade, he targeted the Election Commission, accusing it of serious irregularities. “We are uncomfortable with the way the Election Commission operates. The sudden appearance of almost one crore new voters between the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections in Maharashtra is problematic. It is the Election Commission’s duty to provide a voters’ list with the names and addresses of those who voted in the Vidhan Sabha election. However, the Election Commission has refused to provide this information,” he alleged. Such accusations against a constitutional body not only erode public trust but also suggest a strategy of deflecting blame for his party’s poor performance.

He further criticized India’s electoral system, remarking, “There is a serious problem with our election system, and it is the Election Commission’s duty to be transparent.” These comments, laced with disdain, paint a grim picture of an electoral process that he claims is skewed against his party, ignoring the role of voter sentiment and democratic choice.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi continued his scathing remarks against national institutions and individuals in his speech during the inauguration of the AICC headquarters. With no hesitation, he raised serious allegations against the Election Commission, questioning its transparency. Gandhi stated, “Why would the Election Commission refuse to make the voters’ list transparent? What purpose does it serve by not providing us with the list, and why are they withholding it? It is the Election Commission’s duty to provide transparency, and it is their sacred responsibility to explain why this has happened.”

He also took a direct shot at RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, accusing him of undermining India’s independence. Gandhi claimed, “Mohan Bhagwat’s audacious comment that India didn’t gain true independence in 1947 is an insult to our freedom fighters, every single Indian citizen, and an attack on our Constitution.” By framing Bhagwat’s remarks as an affront to the sacrifices of freedom fighters, Gandhi sought to provoke sentiments against the RSS, labeling it as unpatriotic. However, Gandhi’s interpretation of Bhagwat’s comments appears selective and inflammatory.

Continuing his tirade against the RSS, Gandhi described it as “a shady hidden organization” and accused the ruling BJP of fostering a system where “just one man [wants] to rule over the nation.” He further added, “It is the fight between our idea and the RSS’s idea. Our idea says India is a union of states. I saw in the building [Indira Bhawan] that all Indian languages are displayed. It shows there is no superior language and no superior culture.”

Gandhi alleged that Bhagwat’s comments and actions were an attack on the Constitution, stating, “Every day, they are attacking the ideas we believe in. The BJP and the RSS have captured every institution. We are fighting BJP, RSS, and the Indian state itself.”

However, it is crucial to understand the actual context of Bhagwat’s comments made on January 14th in Indore. Addressing an event, Bhagwat said, “After India got political independence from the British on August 15, 1947, a written Constitution was made according to the path shown by that specific vision, which comes out of the ‘self’ of the country, but the document was not run according to the spirit of the vision at that time.” He further added that “India got true independence after the Ram Mandir was consecrated.” Gandhi’s statements, which portray Bhagwat’s comments as an attack on freedom fighters and the Constitution, appear to misinterpret the original remarks made in a cultural and historical context.

Controversy followed Rahul Gandhi’s speech as his comments were once again placed in sharp contrast with clarifications provided by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). A senior RSS functionary refuted Gandhi’s interpretation of Mohan Bhagwat’s statement. The functionary clarified that “Bhagwat referred to the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram Mandir as a day of ‘Swa Ka Jagaran’ (self-awakening) and ‘Pratistha Dwadashi’ (symbolizing the establishment of sovereignty), not as a comparison to Independence Day.” Despite the clear explanation, Gandhi appeared determined to misrepresent the remarks, stoking unnecessary controversy.

The RSS functionary elaborated further, providing context for Bhagwat’s comments. “The speech was in contention of Bhagwat ji’s idea of Bharat’s awakening. Ayodhya was invaded, and our ancient culture and tradition, our temples, were destroyed. The act of invasion affected Bharat’s pride, dignity, and vitality. Reclaiming our land and establishing the Ram temple there is akin to the re-establishment of Ram Rajya. This is about Bharat’s awakening; it is also about reclaiming our pride. That is why he called the day Pratistha Dwadashi,” he said. This explanation highlights the cultural and historical perspective behind Bhagwat’s words, offering a vision of self-respect and sovereignty for the nation. Yet, Gandhi’s remarks seemed deliberately crafted to divert attention and fuel divisiveness.

This is not the first time Rahul Gandhi has attacked the BJP and RSS over elections, often coupling his criticism with allegations against the Election Commission. Congress has a long history of challenging the poll process and questioning the Election Commission’s integrity, particularly following electoral defeats. During the Lok Sabha elections, Gandhi made similar allegations, claiming that the Commission acted in favor of the BJP.

He accused the Election Commission of enabling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rise to power for a third term. “The Election Commission was doing what they wanted. The entire campaign was structured so that Modi could carry out his agenda across the country, with different designs for different states,” Gandhi said. He further lamented Congress’s financial constraints during the election, alleging that the party fought with “alleged frozen bank accounts.”

Rahul Gandhi’s consistent pattern of targeting India’s democratic institutions reached another level in December 2024. He once again claimed discrepancies in the voter list during the Maharashtra polls, accusing the Election Commission (EC) of withholding critical information. “There was a big change in the voter list in Maharashtra amid the polls, and the EC was not providing any information on it,” he alleged. Yet, during the same period, when the INDI Alliance secured a victory in Jharkhand, Gandhi and his party conveniently found no fault in the electoral process. Such selective accusations only highlight the opportunistic nature of his rhetoric, where the integrity of institutions is questioned solely when results do not favor his party.

Gandhi’s disdain for political opponents and institutions has often led to derogatory remarks. In 2023, he was issued a notice by the Election Commission of India (ECI) for making abusive comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including his infamous ‘Panauti’ comment, where he absurdly blamed Modi for India’s defeat to Australia in the Cricket World Cup final. The notice, issued after complaints from BJP leaders, referenced Supreme Court orders that explicitly discourage politicians from using abusive language against opponents. However, Gandhi’s repeated use of such language demonstrates a troubling disregard for decorum in public discourse.

The 2019 general elections saw a similar pattern of baseless allegations from Gandhi, as he accused the ECI of bias in favor of the BJP. According to him, “The election commission had cowered to the pressures put by the Narendra Modi government and had become biased against the opposition.” Such statements, lacking evidence, seem more like an attempt to deflect blame for his party’s electoral failures rather than a genuine critique of the system.

Interestingly, Gandhi and the Congress party’s accusations against the ECI and the election process often emerge only after a defeat. Reportedly, Gandhi has frequently raised concerns about the reliability of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and questioned the overall election process. However, these allegations appear selective and opportunistic. For instance, in the case of the Maharashtra elections, where the INDI Alliance faced defeat, Gandhi and his party vehemently criticized the ECI and EVMs. But in Jharkhand, where the BJP lost and the INDI Alliance emerged victorious, no such complaints were raised. It is evident that had the Congress won the elections in Maharashtra, there would have been no mention of any fault in the poll system or the ECI.

This recurring pattern of questioning institutions only when it suits his political narrative raises serious doubts about Rahul Gandhi’s credibility as a leader. His baseless accusations, coupled with his tendency to hurl derogatory remarks, reflect a strategy aimed more at eroding trust in democratic systems than at presenting constructive solutions. Gandhi’s selective outrage and opportunistic criticism of the ECI undermine not just the institutions but also the democratic values that he claims to stand for.