New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday strongly criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his comments made during an event in Berlin, Germany, accusing him of undermining India’s democratic framework.
BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged that Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party are deliberately trying to create disorder within India’s democratic system. In a post on X, Bhandari claimed that the Congress leader, along with what he described as ideological backers, seeks to promote unrest by raising such issues on foreign platforms.
He further alleged that Rahul Gandhi frequently travels abroad to rally forces that are hostile to India, asserting that the Congress party is opposed to the country’s democratic institutions and development. According to Bhandari, the party’s actions indicate a desire for instability rather than constructive opposition.
Union Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje also targeted Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of criticising India on international stages. She questioned his intentions and claimed that his conduct does not reflect the responsibilities expected of the Leader of the Opposition. She added that instead of focusing on governance and development, internal political disputes dominate Congress-led states.
Rahul Gandhi’s remarks were made during a talk at the Hertie School in Berlin, where he accused the BJP of taking control of key institutions in the country. He described this as a direct threat to India’s democratic system and alleged that central investigative agencies such as the ED and CBI are being misused for political purposes.
According to Rahul Gandhi, these agencies are selectively targeting opposition leaders while sparing those associated with the BJP. He further claimed that business owners face pressure if they financially support opposition parties, alleging that state institutions are being used to consolidate political power. He stated that the imbalance in political funding highlights this alleged misuse.
The Congress leader emphasised that the opposition is not merely fighting the BJP as a party but resisting what he termed the takeover of India’s institutional structure. He said efforts are underway to build a strong resistance to protect democratic values.
Rahul Gandhi also spoke about global manufacturing trends, arguing that India and Western countries have allowed China to dominate production. He claimed this shift has weakened job creation in democratic nations, leading to political instability in countries such as India, the US, and parts of Europe. He stressed that democracies must rethink production models and build international partnerships to sustain employment and political stability.
He further stated that the lack of manufacturing-led job creation has contributed significantly to political polarisation worldwide, as countries became dependent on China for large-scale production.
Rahul Gandhi is currently on a five-day visit to Germany. His comments come amid earlier statements in which he claimed that manufacturing in India is declining. During a visit to the BMW World Museum in Munich on December 17, he said that manufacturing is essential for economic strength and criticised the slowdown in India’s manufacturing sector, calling for the creation of robust industrial ecosystems and large-scale employment opportunities.
The BJP, however, rejected these claims. Pradeep Bhandari dismissed Rahul Gandhi’s statements as misleading, asserting that India’s manufacturing sector has seen substantial growth. He cited significant increases in electronics production and exports over the past decade, along with major expansion in automobile manufacturing since 1991, to counter the Congress leader’s allegations.
