‘They have lost their composure’: Gadkari slams Rahul, Congress over attacks on institutions

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the party's senior leadership, accusing them of using derogatory language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, targeting constitutional institutions and attempting to create anarchy in the country following successive electoral defeats.

Addressing the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) 'Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy' march in Nagpur, Gadkari alleged that the Congress had lost its composure after repeatedly failing to secure the people's mandate and was now questioning democratic institutions instead of accepting electoral outcomes.

He criticised the language used by Congress leaders, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, while referring to the Prime Minister and his family.

Gadkari alleged that the Opposition was attempting to discredit the Election Commission and disrupt parliamentary proceedings as part of a wider political campaign against the BJP-led government.

"I want to tell Rahul Gandhi, no matter how much power you use, how much you mislead people or lie, or how much you attack democratic institutions, the people of this country still won't vote for you," Gadkari said.

He further claimed that the Congress had repeatedly been rejected by voters and was unwilling to acknowledge the reasons behind its electoral setbacks.

𝗚𝗮𝗱𝗸𝗮𝗿𝗶 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽

The Union minister said the language being used by Congress leaders in political discourse was inappropriate and inconsistent with the responsibilities of a national political party.

He particularly objected to remarks allegedly made by senior Congress leaders concerning Prime Minister Modi's father.

Gadkari said political differences should be expressed through democratic debate rather than personal attacks or attempts to undermine public confidence in constitutional institutions.

He accused Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders of misleading people and questioning the credibility of the Election Commission whenever election results went against the party.

The Congress, he alleged, was trying to create confusion among voters by repeatedly raising questions about the functioning of democratic institutions.

Gadkari also criticised the Opposition for disrupting Parliament, saying the legislature was intended to provide a platform for debate, discussion and the expression of differing political views.

He alleged that repeated disruptions demonstrated the Congress's disregard for parliamentary institutions.

𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸

Invoking the Emergency imposed in 1975, Gadkari accused the Congress of having a history of undermining democratic freedoms while presenting itself as a defender of the Constitution.

He said fundamental rights had been curtailed during the Emergency, political opponents had been imprisoned and restrictions had been imposed on democratic institutions.

The minister alleged that the Congress, which had once suspended civil liberties, was now attempting to portray itself as the principal protector of democracy.

Referring to the political developments that followed the Emergency, Gadkari highlighted the role of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh in the formation of the Janata Party and the movement led by Jayaprakash Narayan.

He said BJP's political predecessors had made sacrifices to restore democratic rights and oppose authoritarian rule.

Gadkari also referred to constitutional changes introduced during the Emergency, alleging that Parliament had been used to weaken constitutional safeguards and protect those in power.

He said the subsequent Janata Party government had reversed several provisions introduced during that period.

𝗕𝗝𝗣 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱

Gadkari maintained that the BJP remained committed to democratic principles, constitutional rights and freedom of expression.

He rejected suggestions that the party was opposed to any particular religion, caste or community, asserting that unity in diversity remained central to its political philosophy.

The Union minister also accused the Congress of pursuing policies of appeasement and alleged that opposition parties had encouraged the inclusion of illegal immigrants in electoral rolls.

He further claimed that certain political forces were attempting to divide society and weaken national unity through their ideological positions.

These allegations formed part of the BJP's broader criticism of the Opposition over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the functioning of the Election Commission.

Opposition parties, including the Congress, have questioned the revision exercise and alleged that it could lead to the exclusion of eligible voters. The BJP has rejected those allegations and defended the exercise as necessary for maintaining accurate electoral records.

𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗜𝗥

Gadkari's remarks came amid an escalating confrontation between the BJP and the INDIA bloc over alleged electoral irregularities and the credibility of constitutional institutions.

The BJP has organised 'Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy' marches across several states to counter the Opposition's campaign against the SIR exercise and its allegations of electoral manipulation.

Earlier, INDIA bloc leaders held a protest at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on November 1, demanding accountability from the Election Commission and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly accused the ruling establishment of undermining constitutional institutions and has challenged Prime Minister Modi to an open debate over allegations concerning foreign influence and electoral irregularities.

The BJP has rejected the Opposition's allegations and accused Congress leaders of attempting to discredit institutions after losing elections.

On Thursday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also criticised Gandhi during a BJP march in Haryana's Karnal, accusing him of disrupting Parliament and turning boycotts into a political practice.

Against this backdrop, Gadkari said the BJP would continue to counter what he described as the Congress's misleading political narrative and defend the functioning of democratic institutions.