Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of undermining the very foundations of India's democracy, drawing a shocking parallel to his grandmother Indira Gandhi's infamous Emergency era. The remarks came hot on the heels of Gandhi's candid address at EIA University in Medellin, Colombia, where he painted a grim picture of India's political landscape, alleging a full-scale assault on democratic norms.
Speaking to reporters in Mumbai shortly after kicking off the state's 'Cyber Awareness Month' initiative, Fadnavis didn't mince words. "Rahul Gandhi simply doesn't believe in the robustness of India's Constitution – and why would he? He hasn't bothered to crack open a history book," the BJP stalwart fired off, his voice laced with sarcasm. He went further, invoking the ghost of 1975: "His own grandmother, Indira Gandhi, plotted to impose autocracy on this nation by tampering with the sacred document we cherish. But the resilient spirit of Indians rose up and crushed that tyrannical dream at the polls."
Fadnavis, a seasoned orator known for his sharp wit in Maharashtra's cutthroat political arena, reserved special ire for Gandhi's international platform choice. "Here he is, jetting off to Colombia to lecture the world about our democracy? It's laughable. This Constitution, forged by the visionary Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, stands as an unbreakable shield for 1.4 billion people. No dynast or 'serial offender' in the truth department gets to chip away at it," he declared, branding Gandhi a "chronic fabricator" whose words betray a deep ignorance of the nation's hard-won freedoms.
Also Read: Fadnavis Promises Farmer Aid After Torrential Rains Destroy 60 Lakh Hectares
Gandhi's Colombia speech, delivered to an audience of students and academics, delved into the nuances of governance in a diverse giant like India. Contrasting it with China's iron-fisted model, he argued, "India's democracy is infinitely more intricate than China's streamlined authoritarianism. Our true power lies in nurturing a mosaic of cultures and voices – not in silencing them." But his stark warning stole the spotlight: "Right now, there's an all-out war on our democratic institutions. We can't mimic Beijing by crushing dissent and enforcing top-down control; that would betray who we are."
The Congress scion's comments, which quickly went viral on social media, have sparked a polarized storm back home. Supporters hail it as a bold call for pluralism in an era of rising majoritarianism, while critics like Fadnavis see it as yet another opportunistic swipe from a leader out of touch with grassroots realities. Political analysts suggest this could fuel the BJP's narrative ahead of upcoming state elections, framing the opposition as elitist foreigners meddling in domestic affairs.
Fadnavis wasn't done for the day. He turned his guns on arch-rival Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, whose fiery Dussehra rally address in Mumbai had branded the BJP an "amoeba-like entity" – a shape-shifting blob that fractures society and feeds on chaos for political gain. Thackeray, once a BJP ally before a dramatic 2019 split, used the festival platform to rally his base, decrying the ruling alliance's "unholy experiments" that he claimed erode Mumbai's Marathi ethos.
The CM's riposte was pure gold for headline writers: "Uddhav's rant? It just saved me a grand! I'd promised Rs 1,000 if he uttered even one syllable on development during that spectacle. Guess what? Zilch. Not a whisper about jobs, infrastructure, or progress – just more venom from a sidelined soul drowning in frustration." Fadnavis' quip underscored the BJP's strategy to pivot every opposition broadside back to governance deliverables, from Mumbai's metro expansions to rural electrification drives that have bolstered his image as a doer.
As the dust settles on this latest round of Maharashtra mudslinging, the exchanges highlight deepening fault lines in Indian politics. With Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra still echoing in public memory and Thackeray plotting a comeback via his son Aaditya, Fadnavis' barbs serve as a reminder: in the world's largest democracy, no sacred cow – constitutional or familial – is off-limits. Will this escalate into a national slugfest, or fizzle out in the pre-festive lull? Only time, and perhaps the next viral clip, will tell.
Also Read: Fadnavis Reviews Marathwada Flood Crisis, Orders High Alert in Nanded