The war of words between the BJP and the Congress turned sharper on Thursday, October 22, after the BJP called Congress leader Rahul Gandhi a "gaddar" (traitor) and accused the Congress of links to an international network behind protests in several countries. The Congress hit back, saying the ruling party was acting out of "desperation and nervousness" over its campaign against alleged vote theft.
What the BJP alleged
At a press conference in New Delhi, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said Rahul Gandhi was presenting a model of "anarchy" and called him a "Mir Jafar", a reference to the 18th-century commander remembered for betraying the Nawab of Bengal. He also described the Congress leader as "irresponsible and immature" and said he deserved to be in jail.
Bhatia relied on a Times of India report about a Fox News Digital investigation, which claimed that unrest in France was linked to protests in other countries, including India. According to the BJP, the report described about 101 organisations across nine countries forming what Bhatia called a "red-green ecosystem of protest", with "red" referring to communist groups and "green" to Islamist groups.
He also alleged that a France-based group, Indian Alliance Paris, was connected to the Congress, pointing to a video it shared in support of Rahul Gandhi after he was detained during a protest in Delhi.
Bhandari's questions on Progressive International
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari, in a post on X, wrote that a "global investigation exposes anarchy and regime change plot of Congress". He claimed that Rahul and Sonia Gandhi met representatives of Progressive International, an international left-leaning platform, at 10 Janpath in April 2025, and asked the Congress to explain whether it had coordinated with the group during the protests.
Bhatia also targeted Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut over a social media post about an arson video from Albania, saying Raut would have "nowhere to hide".
Congress response
The Congress rejected the allegations, accusing the BJP of trying to "divert, distract and spread lies" at a time of what it called "widespread anger" over alleged "vote chori" (vote theft). The party has been running a nationwide campaign questioning the conduct of elections and the revision of voter rolls, and has demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
It is important to note that the BJP's claims rest on its reading of a foreign media report, and have not been independently established. No agency has made any such finding against the Congress or Rahul Gandhi.
The row at a glance
| Date | Thursday, October 22, 2026 |
| BJP faces | Gaurav Bhatia (press conference), Pradeep Bhandari (on X) |
| Main allegation | Congress linked to a global protest network |
| Source cited | Fox News Digital investigation, as reported by Times of India |
| Congress stand | BJP diverting attention from "vote chori" protests |
| Status of claims | Not independently verified |
Why this matters
The exchange shows how bitter the political climate has become over the Congress-led protests on electoral rolls and the Election Commission. The opposition's "Vote Bachao Desh Bachao" campaign has put the poll body at the centre of national debate, and the BJP is clearly trying to reframe those protests as something driven from outside the country.
For voters, the row is less about the name-calling and more about the underlying issues: the accuracy of voter lists, trust in the Election Commission, and how far political parties can take allegations without evidence. Both sides are likely to keep these themes alive ahead of upcoming state elections.
A familiar pattern
This is not the first time the two parties have traded charges of foreign interference. The BJP has repeatedly questioned Rahul Gandhi's remarks abroad and his meetings with foreign groups, while the Congress has accused the government of using such claims to avoid answering questions on unemployment, prices and the functioning of institutions. Political observers say this kind of rhetoric tends to harden positions on both sides, leaving little room for debate on the actual issues raised by the protests.
What happens next
The Congress is expected to continue its protests and legal challenges on the voter roll revision, while the BJP has signalled it will keep pressing the "foreign links" charge. Whether either side produces anything beyond press conferences and social media posts will decide how long this row stays in the headlines.
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