Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has alleged that India’s democratic institutions are being systematically undermined and used to benefit the ruling BJP. Speaking at the Hertie School in Berlin, Gandhi claimed that key institutions have been taken over and turned into political tools, prompting a strong reaction from the BJP, which accused him of criticising India on foreign soil.
Gandhi said the Congress believes there are serious flaws in India’s electoral system and argued that institutions such as intelligence agencies, the CBI, and the Enforcement Directorate have been “weaponised.” He pointed out that while opposition leaders face numerous investigations, BJP leaders face almost none, calling this imbalance evidence of institutional misuse.
According to Gandhi, India’s institutions were built to serve the country, not any single political party. He said Congress never viewed these bodies as its own, but accused the BJP of treating them as party assets to consolidate power. He also highlighted the large gap in financial resources between the BJP and opposition parties, claiming the BJP has roughly 30 times more funding.
Gandhi added that the opposition must go beyond merely raising concerns about elections and instead develop effective strategies to resist what he described as an unfair system and restore institutional independence.
