From Berlin, Rahul Gandhi alleges ‘institutional capture’; BJP accuses him of defaming India abroad

BJP slams Rahul Gandhi for claiming India’s institutions are weaponised, calling his Berlin speech anti-India rhetoric

December 23, 2025

BJP hits back after Rahul Gandhi’s Berlin remarks

Rahul Gandhi cries institutional collapse in Germany, BJP calls it anti-India rhetoric

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has once again taken his political battle overseas, alleging from Berlin that India’s institutional framework has been “captured” and “weaponised” to favour the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). His remarks triggered a strong backlash from the BJP, which accused the Congress leader of repeatedly maligning India on foreign soil.

Speaking at the Hertie School in Germany’s capital, Gandhi claimed that the country’s democratic institutions—including investigative agencies—are under “full-scale assault”. He alleged that bodies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) were being selectively used against opposition leaders.

“We fundamentally believe that there is a problem with the electoral machinery in India. There is a wholesale capture of our institutional framework,” Gandhi said, asserting that agencies like the ED and CBI have “zero cases” against BJP leaders while pursuing those opposed to the government.

Rahul Gandhi says-” We think people will fight with each other, we think India will fail”
Can a man who loves Bharat want India to fail?
Rahul Gandhi in Germany says he thinks:
– People will fight each other
-India will fail
– Unrest will happen
From Fighting Indian state,… pic.twitter.com/1Fg6n2pgNT
— Pradeep Bhandari(प्रदीप भंडारी)🇮🇳 (@pradip103) December 23, 2025

Gandhi further alleged a financial imbalance between the ruling party and the opposition, claiming the BJP enjoys a 30:1 advantage in political funding. He said the Opposition must create a “system of resistance” to counter what he described as institutional misuse.

BJP accuses Rahul Gandhi of abusing India abroad

The BJP responded swiftly and sharply, accusing Gandhi of attempting to internationalise domestic politics and undermine India’s democratic credibility.

BJP president JP Nadda accused the Congress leader of “abusing India abroad”, while national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged that Rahul Gandhi and the Congress were working to create “chaos and unrest” in the country.

“From fighting the Indian state to threatening anarchy, Rahul Gandhi’s Congress wants chaos in Indian democracy,” Bhandari said in a post on X, alleging that the Congress leader seeks to unite “anti-India forces” during his foreign visits.

Union Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje also criticised Gandhi, questioning his conduct as Leader of the Opposition. “Rahul Gandhi is not behaving like a leader but like a child who goes abroad to speak against the nation,” she said, adding that his remarks offer no solutions or development agenda.

INDIA bloc and RSS remarks draw further criticism

Responding to a question on the INDIA opposition alliance, Gandhi said its unity stems from shared opposition to the ideological position of the RSS. BJP leaders countered that the statement exposed the alliance as being united by opposition to India’s civilisational ethos rather than any constructive agenda.

Critics within the ruling party also pointed out that Gandhi’s repeated claims of democratic collapse stand in contrast to ongoing electoral processes, judicial scrutiny and parliamentary functioning in the country.

Manufacturing claims rejected by BJP

During his Germany visit, Gandhi also criticised India’s manufacturing sector, claiming it was in decline and warning that dependence on China had weakened job creation in democracies, including India.

The BJP rejected the claims, calling them misleading and disconnected from data. Pradeep Bhandari said India’s electronics manufacturing had grown by 495 per cent in the past decade, with exports rising by 760 per cent, and automobile manufacturing expanding significantly since economic liberalisation.

Rahul Gandhi is on a five-day visit to Germany, his latest in a series of overseas engagements that have repeatedly drawn criticism from the ruling party for what it describes as “selective pessimism” about India’s institutions and economy.

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