Gehlot Calls Nitin Nabin’s Remarks ‘Threatening’ Amid Opposition Protests

Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot let his thoughts fly on Saturday, taking aim at BJP national president Nitin Nabin’s recent statements about the opposition’s street protests in Delhi. Gehlot, now a senior Congress figure, said Nabin’s choice of words – accusing the INDI Alliance and other groups of serving foreign interests – crossed the line from debate into intimidation.

“Is this the kind of language a responsible leader should use?” Gehlot asked, his tone a mix of frustration and concern. He added that threatening the public, opposition leaders and the youth was simply unacceptable, and he demanded an answer from Nabin.

Gehlot also reminded listeners of India’s freedom struggle, noting that many of today’s critics never lifted a finger against the British. “Those who didn’t sacrifice for independence now question the protests of those who do,” he said, hinting that the BJP’s current rhetoric echoes a past that never existed.

Turning to the BJP’s own record, Gehlot recalled promises made when the party first came to power – promises about repatriating black money, for example. “Instead of delivering, the stash abroad seems to have grown three‑fold,” he warned, suggesting the government was operating under foreign pressure.

In response, Nitin Nabin had earlier painted the opposition coalition led by Rahul Gandhi and the so‑called CJP alliance with Arvind Kejriwal as part of a dangerous “anarchic competition”. He claimed these groups were trying to destabilise the nation at the behest of external forces, and that they could not accept India’s strides towards self‑reliance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The BJP’s narrative, according to Nabin, framed the protests as an attempt to halt India’s progress, alleging that foreign powers were feeding dissent. He invoked the nation’s “140 crore patriotic citizens” as a bulwark against such designs, insisting that India’s democracy was strong enough to repel any anti‑national agenda.

Gehlot’s rebuttal, however, painted a different picture. He called Nabin’s accusations “shameful”, especially when Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra was still travelling across the country. “Now you say foreign forces are behind these protests? That’s not only false, it’s offensive,” he said.

The clash of words highlights the growing tension between the ruling BJP and the opposition coalition, each accusing the other of undermining India’s stability. As the protests continue, the political theatre is likely to intensify, with both sides using every rhetorical tool at their disposal.