Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the ruling BJP, alleging that India was no longer a democracy and claiming that the country’s democratic system was weakened in 2014.
Addressing the Bharat Summit 2026 in Hyderabad, Gandhi said the 2014 Lok Sabha elections marked a major shift in Indian politics, with large amounts of money entering the political system and a new style of campaigning.
He said the Opposition remained in shock for nearly a decade as it tried to understand the changing electoral landscape.
Referring to Maharashtra, Gandhi alleged that the Opposition received nearly similar vote shares in national and state elections but the results differed significantly.
He claimed that around seven million new voters were added to electoral rolls between the two elections and all voted for the BJP. He also questioned electoral legitimacy, referring to allegations involving 140 million voters.
During his address, Gandhi described people who believe they know everything and refuse to listen to others as “fascists”, saying such behaviour becomes prominent when systems begin to collapse.
He also apologised to international delegates who could not attend the summit after reportedly facing visa cancellations or entry restrictions.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor claimed that 115 of 315 speakers cleared by the Ministry of External Affairs were denied entry or had their visas cancelled.
The MEA spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, said visa decisions were sovereign functions of governments.
The two-day summit, backed by the Congress-led Telangana government, brought together international leaders, policymakers and representatives to discuss democracy, global cooperation and economic justice.
