Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s appeal to India’s Gen Z to take a stand against alleged voter fraud and safeguard democracy triggered a fiery response from the BJP. In his post, Gandhi said students and young Indians would be the force to save the Constitution and resist “vote theft,” vowing to back them in their fight.

The remarks followed his explosive press briefing alleging manipulation of electoral rolls in Karnataka and Maharashtra through centralized software, charges dismissed by the Election Commission as baseless.

The timing drew attention as Gandhi invoked Gen Z just days after Nepal’s youth-led protests ousted the KP Sharma Oli government in violent demonstrations against corruption and authoritarianism. The unrest left over 50 dead and saw ministers’ homes and even Parliament attacked.

Reacting strongly, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey said India’s Gen Z opposed dynastic politics, corruption, and double standards, asserting they would not tolerate the Gandhi family’s legacy. He went further, warning Rahul Gandhi to “prepare to leave the country” if the youth’s anger boiled over, while accusing him of echoing forces that fueled upheavals in Bangladesh and Nepal.

Former minister Anurag Thakur also charged Gandhi with trying to destabilize India by misleading citizens and weakening democratic institutions, even as he maintained the Election Commission was functioning impartially.

The escalating row underscores how Rahul Gandhi’s voter fraud allegations and his attempt to connect with India’s youngest generation have opened a new flashpoint with the BJP, with both sides sharpening their narratives around youth and democracy.