Raksha Mantri Launches Blistering Attack on Rahul’s ‘Be Battle Ready’ Call

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday launched a blistering attack on Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, alleging that a “toolkit” was at work and that an attempt was being made to defame India.

Addressing a press conference, Singh said Rahul Gandhi’s statements were turning the youth into pawns in a campaign of chaos and seeking to hold democracy hostage. He alleged that the Opposition wanted to topple the government and was therefore using terms such as “regime change”, “resistance” and “perseverance”. This, he said, showed how low the Congress could stoop.

Singh further alleged that the Congress, frustrated by its repeated electoral failures and inability to return to power at the Centre and in several states, was resorting to such tactics. He said the party had lost the moral right to use the Gandhi name.

The Congress, he argued, should ask itself whether it could even win the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh without the support of the Samajwadi Party. He also questioned why Rahul Gandhi had not produced evidence of alleged “vote chori” in Amethi.

Singh recalled that Rahul Gandhi had initially threatened to produce a “hydrogen bomb” of evidence, but that it had fizzled out. He subsequently accused Gandhi of resorting to what he described as fabricated claims about voter ID irregularities and presenting incorrect identity cards. With those allegations failing to gain traction, Singh alleged, Gandhi had shifted to talking about regime change.

Singh accused the Congress of having a history of undermining democracy, citing the imposition of the Emergency in 1975. During that period, the judiciary faced severe restrictions on its ability to protect citizens against arbitrary government action. The enforcement of fundamental rights was curtailed, challenges to preventive detention became difficult, press freedom was restricted, and judicial review of executive power was weakened.

The restrictions severely undermined the courts’ ability to protect civil liberties. Singh contrasted that period with the present, arguing that opposition parties now had access to legal remedies and democratic avenues to challenge the government.

He also recalled the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, alleging that Congress activists had been responsible for the merciless killing of Sikhs.

Singh further said that the BJP had never questioned the electoral process or attempted to obstruct it. He cited the appointment of Navin Chawla as Chief Election Commissioner despite reported opposition within the Election Commission. He also referred to the Padma Vibhushan awarded to M.S. Gill in 2000, when Gill was serving as Chief Election Commissioner, questioning the Congress’s present allegations that the Election Commission had been taken over by the BJP.

Singh maintained that the issue was not merely a dispute with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar but, as he alleged, part of a larger campaign for regime change.

He expressed confidence that people were aware of the developments and would reject the Opposition’s attempts.

His remarks come amid massive protests in the national capital by opposition parties and civil society groups demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the SIR process.

Opposition leaders have alleged that the exercise lacks transparency and could exclude eligible voters.

Referring to the Supreme Court's observations on Thursday, Singh said Gandhi and his allies need to understand that democracy does not permit attempts to create anarchy, undermine constitutional institutions or obstruct India's development.

"Respecting the law is also essential to maintaining law and order. India's democratic institutions cannot be sacrificed at the altar of political self-interest," he said.

Singh added that falsehoods, anger, attempts to malign institutions and political opportunism could not obstruct India's development.

He advised Gandhi to respect the people's mandate and introspect on his political role instead of pursuing what he called "politics of destruction" in the name of protecting democracy.

"India's future is everyone's responsibility. We must choose the path of dialogue and nation-building, not confrontation," Singh said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gowri V

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A Journey of Three Decades Time passes faster than we realise. What feels like a journey that began only yesterday has today grown into more than three decades of a meaningful and fulfilling life devoted to education, journalism, and the empowerment of young minds. My professional journey began with journalism training in New Delhi in 1979. I went on to work as an independent journalist, drawing on my fluency in both English and Telugu. Over the years, I have edited and worked on Telugu articles in both languages, an experience that strengthened my command of language and sharpened my understanding of society, people, and contemporary issues. Yet, my principal profession and enduring passion have always been teaching. My decision to become a teacher was not merely a career choice—it was a calling. Teaching offered me the rare privilege of inspiring young minds, guiding them through their formative years, and making a lasting difference in their lives. I found immense satisfaction in simplifying complex concepts, nurturing curiosity, encouraging independent thought, and building confidence among students. Every moment in the classroom—every question, every moment of discovery, and every spark of understanding—reminded me why I had chosen this path: to empower young people through knowledge, values, and essential life skills. My teaching career began at the grassroots level as a Montessori teacher and gradually progressed to the position of Vice Principal. I had the opportunity to work in reputed educational institutions, including Dilsukhnagar Public School in Hyderabad, where I shouldered both teaching and administrative responsibilities. Although I have always considered myself, at heart, a teacher, my administrative experience enabled me to understand and contribute to the education system from a much broader perspective. For my students, I have always tried to be an approachable and dependable presence—someone they could turn to not only for academic support, but also for guidance and emotional encouragement. At the same time, I developed a reputation as a firm disciplinarian who believed that integrity, fairness, responsibility, and discipline were fundamental to education. I was also consistently appreciated for maintaining clear communication with parents and staff and for ensuring that examinations and other academic processes were conducted with transparency, fairness, and efficiency. As my career progressed, however, I began to feel that academic education alone was not enough. This realization led me to work more closely with students following the SSC and CBSE curricula, while consciously bringing life-skills education into my teaching. I came to understand that education becomes truly meaningful when it prepares children not merely to pass examinations, but to face life. Teaching emotional resilience, self-reliance, social awareness, communication, decision-making, and other practical life skills often had a deeper and more lasting impact than academic achievement alone. I saw how these skills could help students navigate challenges with greater confidence, maturity, and responsibility. My academic background provided a strong foundation for this approach. My degree in Psychology from the University of Madras helped me develop a deeper understanding of young people's minds, their emotional needs, and the influence of their family and social environments. My M.A. in Telugu with First Class from Osmania University.

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