Indian democracy has collapsed since 2014, targets BJP on 'vote chori': Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing the Bharat Summit 2026 in Hyderabad. He accused the ruling establishment of undermining democracy, alleged that political and business interests had become intertwined, and questioned the legitimacy of elections, citing what he described as discrepancies in voter numbers in Maharashtra.

The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha also spoke about the rise of what he called fascist forces, saying they often become louder when institutions and systems begin to collapse. Gandhi claimed that the Opposition had eventually understood how the political system had changed and said a direct connection with the people remained more powerful than money or control over institutions. He also expressed confidence that the Opposition would defeat Modi and remove him as Prime Minister.

Taking aim at the BJP, Rahul Gandhi spoke about what he described as the behaviour of fascists, saying they often occupied positions of influence in business, academia and politics. He argued that such individuals tended to dominate conversations by shouting rather than listening.

"You find (such) people as the head of businesses; you find them in academics, they know it all, and in politics, we call them fascists. Fascists tend to scream. They shout, they scream, they don't listen," he said.

Gandhi



contrasted this with what he described as the approach of the majority, which he said was more inclined to listen, pay attention and remain humble. He added that fascist forces often emerged more visibly when established systems began to break down.

"And historically, the fascists jump out of the woodwork when systems collapse," he said, alleging that such forces had been particularly active over the past decade.

Gandhi also revisited the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, describing them as a turning point in Indian politics. He alleged that an unprecedented amount of money had entered the political system during the election, disrupting the established electoral arrangements that had previously produced close contests and coalition governments.

"In 2014, we witnessed a completely new election, something we've never seen before. Millions and millions and millions of dollars injected into the political system," he said.

He acknowledged that the Opposition had initially struggled to understand the scale of the political change, describing the period as a decade-long crisis for Indian politics.

"I would be lying if I said that the opposition was in shock," Gandhi said, before alleging that the Opposition eventually uncovered what had happened.

"We discovered it, and we have proven it without any doubt is that democracy was destroyed in India in 2014," he added.