A fresh political confrontation has erupted between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of becoming and remaining in power with foreign assistance.

Gandhi also challenged the Prime Minister to an open debate on the issue, saying he was ready to face him on any platform and at any time.

The BJP responded by bringing up an old video of Gandhi from his visit to the United Kingdom, reviving the controversy surrounding his remarks about India’s democratic institutions and the role of foreign countries.

What Rahul Gandhi said about PM Modi

Gandhi’s remarks came in response to Modi’s recent comments targeting the Opposition during his address at the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations in Gujarat on October 31.

In a post on X on Monday, Gandhi accused the Prime Minister of relying on foreign support to attain and retain power.

“Mr Modi, stop lying to this nation. You became PM because of foreign help. You remain PM because of foreign help,” Gandhi wrote.

He further alleged that India’s financial system was fully controlled and supported by foreign entities and claimed that foreign social media platforms backed the Prime Minister.

The Congress leader also challenged Modi to discuss the allegations publicly.

“I challenge you to an open debate about this. Any stage, any time. Come if you have the guts,” he said, adding that the Prime Minister would not accept the challenge because of what Gandhi claimed to know about him.

Why PM Modi criticised the Opposition

Gandhi’s response followed Modi’s address at the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas event in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, marking the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

During his speech, the Prime Minister accused the Opposition of moving away from its democratic responsibility of questioning the government and instead becoming an obstructionist force.

Modi described the Opposition as an “Avrodh Paksh” rather than a “Virodh Paksh”, alleging that it was creating obstacles to the country’s development.

Without directly naming Gandhi, the Prime Minister also raised questions about the foreign visits of certain political leaders and their alleged connections with forces opposed to India.

“Who is secretly meeting whom abroad? Whom are the anti-India forces supporting? Who is speaking the language of India’s enemies?” Modi asked.

He also expressed concern over the use of social media to spread rumours and attempts to damage India’s image.

BJP brings back Rahul Gandhi’s old UK remarks

The BJP responded to Gandhi’s allegations by sharing an old video from his UK visit, bringing attention back to his earlier comments about India’s democratic institutions and the involvement of foreign countries.

During an interaction at Chatham House in London in March 2023, Gandhi had alleged that several Indian institutions, including the Press, judiciary, Parliament and Election Commission, were under threat.

He had also questioned why Europe and the United States were not doing enough to raise concerns about what he described as threats to democracy in India.

The remarks had triggered a political controversy at the time, with the BJP accusing Gandhi of seeking foreign intervention in India’s internal affairs.

BJP leaders had demanded an apology from the Congress leader over his comments during the UK visit.

The resurfacing of the old video has brought those earlier remarks back into the political debate as the Congress and BJP trade accusations over alleged foreign backing.

Political confrontation intensifies

The latest exchange comes amid an ongoing confrontation between the ruling BJP and the Opposition over several issues, including allegations of electoral irregularities and the role of constitutional institutions.

Gandhi’s challenge to Modi for an open debate has added another dimension to the political dispute, with both parties questioning each other’s alleged connections with foreign forces.

While Gandhi has accused the Prime Minister of benefiting from foreign support, the BJP has repeatedly questioned the Congress leader’s overseas remarks and alleged attempts to involve foreign countries in India’s internal political matters.

Neither side’s allegations about foreign backing should be treated as established facts without supporting evidence.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has taken a dig at the Congress over an alleged AI-generated photograph showing a massive gathering at the INDIA bloc’s rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan.

In a post on X on Sunday, Rijiju accused the Congress of sharing an artificially generated image to create the impression that the venue was packed with supporters. Taking a swipe at the party, he suggested that even the purported AI-generated photograph had not been created properly.

“Even the fake AI photo to show that Ramlila ground was full is not done properly by the fake narrative team of Congress Party!” Rijiju wrote.

His remarks came after the INDIA bloc organised a rally at Ramlila Maidan on November 1, bringing together several Opposition leaders to protest against alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.

BJP questions Congress’s claim of 10 lakh attendees

The controversy over the photograph came amid a political dispute between the BJP and Congress over the number of people who attended the Opposition rally.

Ahead of the gathering, the INDIA bloc had projected an attendance of around 10 lakh people. However, BJP leaders questioned the claim following the event.

BJP MP Sambit Patra alleged that a significant portion of Ramlila Maidan remained vacant during the rally. He claimed that around 5,000 to 7,000 chairs out of the 28,000 at the venue were unoccupied between 3:30 pm and 4 pm.

Patra also claimed that approximately 40 per cent of the ground was empty, questioning the Opposition’s projected attendance figure.

These claims formed part of the BJP’s criticism of the rally’s turnout.

INDIA bloc rally targeted Election Commission

The November 1 gathering was organised by the INDIA bloc to protest against alleged irregularities in the functioning of the Election Commission and the SIR exercise.

The Opposition’s demands included accountability over the electoral roll revision process and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Several prominent Opposition leaders attended the gathering, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav.

During his address, Rahul Gandhi accused the Chief Election Commissioner of facilitating alleged vote theft and said the Opposition would continue its fight to protect the Constitution through peaceful and democratic means.

The rally and the subsequent exchanges between BJP and Congress leaders brought the dispute over electoral rolls and crowd attendance into sharper political focus.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has married journalist Nidhi Razdan, with the couple announcing the development through social media posts on Saturday. The two also shared photographs from their celebrations, marking the beginning of a new chapter in their lives.

Omar Abdullah, 56, posted pictures of the couple on X, accompanying them with the caption, “A new journey began yesterday.” He also tagged Nidhi Razdan in his post.

Responding to the announcement, Razdan, 49, shared a message of her own, writing, “It’s done bro @OmarAbdullah”, confirming their marriage.

The wedding was preceded by a small family gathering in Srinagar, where close members of both families came together to celebrate the occasion, according to people familiar with the development.

Family members attend wedding celebrations

The celebrations were attended by Omar Abdullah’s parents, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and Mollie Abdullah, along with his three sisters and other close relatives.

Razdan’s parents, veteran journalist MK Razdan and Sarla Razdan, were also present at the celebrations.

The couple shared photographs from the occasion on their respective social media accounts, announcing their marriage publicly.

Omar Abdullah’s previous marriage dissolved by Supreme Court

The marriage comes after the Supreme Court formally dissolved Omar Abdullah’s marriage to Payal Abdullah in July, following a settlement between the estranged couple.

The two, who have two sons, had been involved in matrimonial proceedings spanning several years. They eventually resolved their outstanding disputes through mediation and jointly sought the dissolution of their marriage.

In July, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Omar Abdullah, informed a Supreme Court bench comprising Justice PS Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe that both sides had reached an agreement and agreed to withdraw the cases filed against each other.

“Both of them have embraced freedom. It’s all settled. Lordships may grant divorce. All other matters will be withdrawn,” Sibal told the court.

The bench accepted the settlement and indicated that it would pass orders in accordance with the terms agreed upon by both parties.