Kharge Calls India a ‘Muzzled Democracy’, Accuses Modi Government of Suppressing Dissent

New Delhi, Oct 10 : Congress president and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, on Saturday accused the Narendra Modi government of turning India from the “Mother of Democracy” into a “Muzzled Democracy”, alleging that young people, students, lawyers, journalists and social activists were being detained for questioning those in power.

In a strongly worded post on social media platform X, Kharge condemned the reported detentions amid heightened security in the national capital ahead of the ‘Dilli Chalo’ protest called by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

“Our youth, students, lawyers, journalists, social activists, farm union leaders, YouTubers, content creators, everyone who is questioning this regime are being detained,” Kharge said, accusing the government of suppressing dissent and curtailing democratic freedoms.

“Modi Govt has turned the ‘Mother of Democracy’ into a ‘Muzzled Democracy’!” he declared, alleging that the actions of the authorities reflected the intolerance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) towards criticism.

Kharge asserted that detentions and other coercive measures would not deter citizens from defending their democratic rights.

“Detentions, arrests, jails, lathis and pellets cannot deter the people of India,” he said, invoking the legacy of the freedom struggle and highlighting the role of young people in shaping the country's democratic future.

“Since the days of our Freedom struggle, the youth have been at the forefront of shaping the nation's destiny,” Kharge said, emphasising that the freedom to question those in power was fundamental to a functioning democracy.

Escalating his attack on the government, the Congress president said his party would intensify its opposition alongside other opposition parties.

“The Congress Party, along with the united Opposition, will fight this tyrannical regime, tooth and nail,” he said.

“We shed our blood to win India's freedom. We will continue to fight, with every ounce of our strength, to defend our Democracy, our Constitution and the fundamental rights of every Indian,” he added.

Kharge's remarks came amid an escalating confrontation between opposition parties and the Election Commission over the SIR exercise. Opposition parties have questioned the revision process, warning that it could result in eligible voters being excluded from electoral rolls. They have demanded the withdrawal of the exercise and the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that the poll body's actions have compromised electoral integrity.

The Election Commission, however, has defended the revision exercise, stating that maintaining accurate electoral rolls falls within its mandate.

The CJP's ‘Dilli Chalo’ call has added to political tensions in the national capital, with opposition leaders and supporters seeking to press their demands through demonstrations. Heightened security arrangements and reports of detentions have further intensified the debate over the authorities' handling of protests and the scope for political dissent.

By describing the reported detentions as an assault on democratic freedoms, Kharge sought to broaden the controversy beyond the electoral roll revision exercise and frame it as a larger issue concerning constitutional guarantees, civil liberties and citizens' right to question the government.

His remarks indicate that the dispute over the SIR exercise and the functioning of the Election Commission is likely to remain a major point of confrontation between the Congress-led opposition and the Modi government.