‘Democracy Is No Licence To Spread Anarchy’: Rajnath Singh’s Blunt Message To Rahul Gandhi Over Anti-CEC Protests – Delhi News Daily

Last Updated:October 16, 2026, 10:36 IST

Rajnath Singh accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of indulging in politics of disruption and urged him to respect the mandate of the people.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressing a press conference in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched a sharp attack on the opposition INDIA Bloc and the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) over their parallel protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accusing them of spreading anarchy in the country in a bid for regime change.

While addressing a press conference in Lucknow, Singh accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of indulging in politics of disruption and urged him to respect the mandate of the people.

“It seems that the Congress and their political allies, instead of channelling the energy of the youth into constructive works and ideas of nation-building, are trying, directly and through their supporting organisations, to turn it into a means of spreading political confrontation and anarchy,” he remarked.

Singh also pointed towards AISA president Neha Bora’s recent remarks on Bangladesh, accusing the INDIA Bloc and the CJP of attempting to pursue a regime change and destroy democratic institutions. “This makes it clear that their sole agenda is to dismantle democratic institutions and set the country on fire,” he said.

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‘Law And Order Must Be Maintained’

The Defence Minister alleged that Congress was using the youth as pawns for political gains, calling it an “unforgivable crime”. He also pointed towards the Congress’s own history, such as “putting democracy behind bars” during the 1975 Emergency and the massacre of Sikhs after Indira Gandhi’s assassination in 1984.

“I would like to say that Rahul Gandhi and his associates must understand that democracy is not a license to spread chaos, undermine the credibility of constitutional institutions, or obstruct India’s development journey. I believe the remarks made by the Supreme Court yesterday also point in this direction. Respecting the law is essential to maintaining law and order. India’s democratic institutions cannot be sacrificed at the altar of political self-interest,” he said.

Rajnath Singh further alleged that the Congress had used the Election Commission as its own puppet by making sudden changes overnight in the poll body in 1993, and shielded Election Commissioner Naveen Chawla from prosecution despite a complaint from then-CEC N. Gopalaswami to the President.

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What triggered Rajnath Singh’s criticism of Rahul Gandhi and the INDIA Bloc?

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh criticized Rahul Gandhi and the INDIA Bloc over their parallel protests targeting Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accusing them of spreading anarchy and attempting a regime change.

What specific historical actions of the Congress did Rajnath Singh reference during his address?

Rajnath Singh pointed to the Congress’s history of putting democracy behind bars during the 1975 Emergency, the 1984 anti-Sikh massacres after Indira Gandhi’s assassination, and making sudden overnight changes to the poll body in 1993.

What specific electoral exercise has been at the center of the opposition’s ongoing protests against the Election Commission?

The opposition protests are centered around alleged electoral irregularities and the Special Intensive Revision exercise of electoral rolls.

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Aveek Banerjee

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in int…Read More

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