Congress MP Shashi Tharoor rejected comparisons between India, Bangladesh and France, asserting that the Opposition supports peaceful protests and is seeking free and fair elections amid the controversy over the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
Tharoor’s remarks came after Union Minister Kiren Rijiju alleged that a conspiracy similar to those behind violence in Bangladesh and riots in France had been planned in India.
Congress dismissed the comparison, maintaining that its demand concerned electoral integrity rather than regime change.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Tharoor said, “I think that India is not Bangladesh and India is not France. I don’t see these analogies as particularly relevant… We would never condone any of the violence, setting alight buses and police stations and so on, that has occurred in France. We only believe in peaceful protest… that’s the kind of protest that I have participated in, and that I believe the opposition in general supports.”
Tharoor rejects regime change charge
Rejecting allegations that the Opposition was seeking to topple the government, Tharoor said its demand was for free and fair elections.
He raised concerns over the removal of large numbers of voters from electoral rolls during the SIR exercise.
“As far as the larger issues are concerned, there’s no point distorting a phrase like ‘regime change’ and so on… What we are calling for is free and fair elections… What is troubling today is that large numbers of people have been cut from the electoral rolls as the result of a completely troublesome, irregular, and partially illegal process. This is why we are calling for all this to be undone… It’s a constitutional issue. It’s not an issue of trying to topple a regime or anything like that,” the Congress MP said.
Pawan Khera accuses BJP of communalising protests
Congress Rajya Sabha MP Pawan Khera also questioned comparisons between protests in India and Europe, accusing those advancing the narrative of portraying Muslims as inherently violent and framing demonstrations in Europe as a “Muslim problem”.
“Comparing India and Europe is comparing apples with oranges,” Khera said.
He alleged that similar narratives had been used in India to discredit peaceful movements demanding education, electoral integrity, transparency and justice. Referring to recent protests in Delhi, Khera claimed that individuals affiliated with the Sangh had posed as Muslims to provoke communal tensions.
He further accused the police and right-wing activists of using force against peaceful demonstrators, alleging that such actions were aimed at undermining legitimate protests.
Rijiju alleges conspiracy similar to Bangladesh, France
The Congress’s response came after Union Minister Kiren Rijiju alleged that a conspiracy similar to the violence in Bangladesh and the riots in France had been planned in India.
“The violent incident that occurred in Bangladesh and the riots, arson, and looting that took place in France a similar conspiracy was hatched for India as well. Anti-India gangs and some politicians had colluded to incite the youth and spread violence on our streets. But those who devised this dangerous conspiracy forgot that India is neither Bangladesh nor France. Regime change in India is absolutely possible but only through elections, not through Soros,” Rijiju said.
Report examines France’s protest networks
The political exchange comes amid scrutiny of the wider networks associated with student demonstrations in France. A Fox News Digital investigation published on October 9 identified 50 organisations linked to the country’s student protest movement and its broader network of supporters.
The report alleged that communist, socialist and far-left groups were using demonstrations over school conditions to advance wider political and ideological agendas.
According to the investigation, 15 of the 50 organisations were student or youth groups, while the remaining 35 included labour unions, communist and socialist organisations, political parties, civil-rights groups and other advocacy organisations.
The report said the network extended beyond France to countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Greece, Brazil and India.
It alleged that organisations were mobilising supporters, calling strikes and amplifying the demonstrations through international media outlets.
The investigation also cited Indian Alliance Paris, a France-based organisation of students, researchers and professionals, which allegedly promoted the French demonstrations on social media and drew parallels with student protests in India.
(with ANI inputs)
