Prashant Bhushan’s statement on regime change sparks a fresh political confrontation between the BJP and opposition figures. (Img: X)
New Delhi: Senior advocate and activist Prashant Bhushan has called for a change of government, asserting that the demand for “regime change” was legitimate in a democracy. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), however, hit back at Bhushan and other opposition figures, accusing them of attempting to destabilise the elected government under the guise of protests against the Election Commission.
The exchange comes amid demonstrations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, with opposition leaders and civil society activists alleging that the revision process threatens electoral and democratic rights.
Speaking at a press conference in Delhi on Thursday, Bhushan defended the demand for a change in government and questioned why the BJP was objecting to it.
“Yes, we want regime change. What is wrong in this? I am saying today that yes, it is a battle for regime change, and we will get it done anyhow,” he said.
Bhushan also pointed out that the BJP itself had previously participated in protests demanding a change of government. He argued that calling for a change in the political leadership could not, by itself, be treated as unlawful.
Responding to Bhushan’s remarks, BJP leaders accused the opposition of pursuing objectives beyond its stated objections to the SIR exercise.
BJP MP Sambit Patra alleged that the campaign was aimed at destabilising the government rather than securing electoral reforms. He accused opposition leaders of attempting to bring about a change in power without going through the electoral process.
Patra characterised the demand as an attempt to stage a coup, arguing that the government could be changed through democratic elections rather than through efforts to create political instability.
BJP media co-convener and national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari also criticised the remarks, linking Bhushan’s statement to the opposition’s broader campaign against the Election Commission.
Bhandari referred to the participation of All India Students’ Association (AISA) leader Neha Bora in the protests and alleged that her comments about the Gen Z movement in Bangladesh reflected an attempt to replicate those developments in India.
The political controversy intensified after Bora, who has emerged as one of the prominent voices in the protests against the SIR exercise, referred to the youth-led movement in Bangladesh.
In a video message, Bora congratulated participants in the Bangladesh movement and said it had shown the way for a similar movement in India. She framed the issue as a struggle for democratic and voting rights, arguing that the concerns raised in Bangladesh were relevant to India as well.
BJP leaders interpreted the remarks as evidence that sections of the opposition and protest movement were seeking to emulate the political upheaval that led to the removal of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The allegations have further sharpened the political confrontation over the protests, with the BJP accusing opposition leaders of encouraging instability and the protesters maintaining that their campaign concerns electoral democracy and constitutional rights.
The latest statements come against the backdrop of protests over the Election Commission’s SIR exercise and demands for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Opposition leaders and activists have questioned the manner in which electoral rolls are being revised and raised concerns about the deletion of voters’ names. The Election Commission’s actions have become a major point of political contention, with the opposition seeking greater transparency and safeguards for eligible electors.
The protests have also generated a wider debate over the permissible limits of political dissent, the right to assemble and the role of civil society in challenging government policies.
Bhushan’s remarks have now provided fresh ammunition for the BJP’s criticism of the movement, while the opposition’s campaign continues to centre on its allegations concerning the electoral process.
The competing claims underscore the widening political divide over the SIR exercise and the methods through which opposition parties and activists are seeking to press their demands.
