Sibal Says India Wants Change of Govt Through Democratic Means, Slams Bhagwat

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Saturday criticised RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s recent remarks on regime change, saying India wanted a change of government through democratic means and not through violent protests.

Addressing a press conference here, Sibal said people in India had decided that a change was needed, though when and how it would happen peacefully remained to be seen. He expressed surprise at Bhagwat’s comparison of calls for regime change in India with developments in Bangladesh, Nepal, France and Albania, saying such upheavals had sometimes resulted in violence.

Sibal said young people who protested at Jantar Mantar had demonstrated peacefully without carrying weapons or stones. He alleged that outside agencies were responsible for any violence and questioned the presence of a truck carrying stones at the protest site.

He also accused the RSS of having supported Arvind Kejriwal in the past, claiming the move contributed to the fall of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government.

Bhagwat, speaking at the RSS’s annual Vijayadashami Utsav in Nagpur on Tuesday, had said agitations seeking regime change did not resolve fundamental problems and could deepen social divisions while serving political interests.

Sibal further accused Bhagwat of overlooking issues such as unemployment, inadequate educational opportunities, alleged voter-list manipulation and border incursions. He also questioned the RSS chief’s remarks about foreign forces attempting to destabilise India.

On border security, Sibal criticised the government over ITBP Director General Shatrujeet Kapur’s reported remarks about face-offs at several locations in Arunachal Pradesh, saying removing a statement from YouTube would not address the situation on the ground.

Sibal also questioned the circumstances surrounding US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit, describing the Indian foreign minister’s travel to Mumbai for the meeting as demeaning. He referred to an announcement that 99 per cent of the India-US trade deal had been completed.