Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Oct 16: Senior advocate Prashant Bhushan has sparked a political controversy after backing calls for regime change in India amid ongoing protests against the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi on Thursday alongside All India Students’ Association (AISA) member Neha Bora and Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke, Bhushan said the protests aimed to ensure free and fair elections. He warned that continued government action against demonstrators could intensify demands for a change in power.
Bhushan argued that opposing a government was not a crime in a democracy. He accused the Centre of suppressing democratic voices and targeting students and citizens, maintaining that calls for regime change should not automatically be considered unlawful or anti-national.
He also pointed out that the BJP had previously participated in movements seeking a change of government and questioned why similar demands were now being portrayed as conspiracies.
Reacting to the remarks, BJP national spokesperson CR Kesavan accused the Congress and its associates of using the SIR process as a pretext to destabilise the government.
Kesavan alleged that Rahul Gandhi and his supporters were attempting to gain power through undemocratic means. Referring to remarks attributed to AISA’s Neha Bora about political developments in Bangladesh, he claimed that sections of the Opposition wanted to replicate similar events in India.
The BJP spokesperson accused the Opposition of threatening national unity and said attempts to destabilise the government would be defeated by the people.
Backing Bhushan’s position, Hanamkonda District Congress Committee president Engala Venkat Ram Reddy said citizens had a constitutional right to demand a change of government. He argued that Bhushan’s experience as a senior advocate and his understanding of the Constitution lent weight to his position.
Reddy criticised the BJP for portraying demands for regime change as anti-national and alleged that young protesters had faced unjust treatment. Referring to the controversy surrounding the SIR process, he urged citizens across party lines to support democratic accountability.
Reddy also predicted a major political setback for the government in November, expressing confidence that a change of government could take place within the next two to three months.