Rahul alleges 'attack' on democracy, BJP hits out

There is a “wholesale attack” on democracy in India that is the “single biggest risk” facing the country, Leader of the Opposition in’ the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said in Colombia on Wednesday, adding that the country’s design won't accept any authoritarian system and suppression of people.

- Saubhadra Chattet

Rahul Gandhi

His comments sparked a political controversy with the Bharatiya Janata Party saying he was defaming constitutional offices on foreign soil.

“The single biggest risk is the attack on democracy which is taking place in India. Because India has multiple religions, multiple traditions and languages. And India actually is a conversation between all its people. Different traditions, religions (and) different ideas require space and the best method for creating that space is the democratic system. Currently, there is a wholesale attack on the democratic system in India,” Gandhi said at an interaction organised by EIA University of Colombia.

“I don’t think India sees itself taking leadership of the world. We are not arrogant enough to believe that we should lead the world.”

The second risk, according to Gandhi, was “between different conceptions (of India) and different parts of the country.”