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Rahul Gandhi Flags ‘Democracy Risk’ in Colombia

  • By Thetripurapost Desk, New Delhi
  • Oct 02, 2025
  • 425

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has once again accused the ruling BJP of weakening India’s democratic fabric, this time while addressing students at EIA University in Colombia.

Speaking at an interaction on Thursday, Gandhi said he remained “very optimistic about India” because of its cultural diversity, technological capacity, and healthcare system. However, he warned of “serious risks” to the country’s future.

 “The single biggest risk is the attack on democracy that is taking place in India. India actually is a conversation between all its people...different traditions, religions, ideas require space. The best way to create that space is the democratic system. Currently, there’s a wholesale attack on [the] democratic system,” Gandhi said.

 

Drawing a sharp contrast with China, Gandhi added:

 “We can’t do what China does, which is suppress people and run an authoritarian system. Our design will just not accept that.”

 

The Congress MP also reiterated his criticism of the BJP government’s 2016 demonetisation policy, calling it a “failure”. He argued that it failed to curb cash usage, and instead hurt the economy.

On corruption, Gandhi said decentralisation was an “effective way to deal with it” but alleged that corruption under the Modi government was “very centralised”, with “three-four businesses taking over the whole economy” in close ties with the Prime Minister.

BJP hits back: “Rahul Gandhi insults India abroad”

The remarks triggered a strong response from the ruling party.

Kangana Ranaut, BJP MP, called Gandhi “a disgrace”, accusing him of trying to defame India overseas.

Pradeep Bhandari, BJP national spokesperson, said Gandhi was “anti-India” and accused the Gandhi-Vadra family of keeping India backward for decades.

Gaurav Bhatia, BJP leader, said Gandhi had “degraded India on foreign soil” and accused him of repeatedly “mocking Indian institutions abroad”.

 

Pattern of foreign criticism

This is not the first time Rahul Gandhi has attacked the Modi government from international platforms:

2024 (Cambridge University) – Said democracy in India was “under attack”.

2022 (London) – Alleged that the “soul of India” was under attack and likened the situation to Pakistan.

2018 (UK & Germany) – Compared PM Modi to Donald Trump and criticised demonetisation.

2018 (Malaysia & Singapore) – Called demonetisation “trash” and warned of an “atmosphere of intimidation”.

2017 (UC Berkeley, US) – Accused the Modi government of focusing on the top 100 companies and said “non-violence is under attack”.


The Congress leader’s overseas speeches have repeatedly drawn sharp rebuke from the BJP, which accuses him of “maligning India” while travelling abroad.