India is no longer functioning as a democracy, destroyed since 2014: Rahul Gandhi
HYDERABAD India’s democratic system was destroyed in 2014, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said on Saturday, claiming that money power and the capture of institutions has transformed the country’s electoral and political landscape and pushed Opposition parties to the margins. Speaking at the valedictory session of the Bharat Summit 2026, Mr. Gandhi claimed that millions of dollars were pumped into the electoral system during the 2014 Lok Sabha election, ushering in a new kind of politics that left Opposition parties in shock.
The trend continued in subsequent elections, with the ruling party enjoying enormous financial resources while parties committed to democratic processes struggled to compete, the Congress leader argued. BJP accuses Congress of pursuing ‘anti-India agenda’ through Bharat Summit BJP accuses Congress of pursuing ‘anti-India agenda’ through Bharat Summit ‘Modi government first to provide a statutory framework for welfare of gig workers’ BJP accuses Congress of pursuing ‘anti-India agenda’ through Bharat Summit storyline 1 Opposition in shock He said it had taken the Opposition nearly a decade to comprehend the scale of the changes in the country’s political and electoral system.
“I would be lying if I said the Opposition was not in shock. We were in shock, not for a year, but for an entire decade,” he said. Mr. Gandhi attributed the marginalisation of Opposition parties to the growing influence of money power, divisive politics, and the alleged capture of institutions. The transformation was evident in the electoral landscape, which had earlier witnessed close contests and coalition governments but had since undergone a dramatic change, leaving Opposition parties wondering about the emerging political patterns, he said.
Rahul Gandhi promises social security, insurance cover for gig workers in Telangana Rahul Gandhi promises social security, insurance cover for gig workers in Telangana Mr Gandhi said every gig worker would receive ₹5 lakh in accident insurance and ₹10 lakh in health insurance. A social security contribution mechanism under which 1% of every transaction, including deliveries and cab rides, would be contributed towards the workers’ future security Rahul Gandhi promises social security, insurance cover for gig workers in Telangana storyline 1 Troubling patterns Mr.
Gandhi said the election results across States had been analysed to understand the changing electoral trends. Citing the Maharashtra elections, he alleged that the Opposition had secured almost the same number of votes in the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, but the results were markedly different. He claimed that nearly seven million new voters were added to the electoral rolls in the three months preceding the Assembly election and alleged that all of them had voted for the BJP.
The Opposition’s analysis, he said, indicated that similar patterns were visible in several other States as well. These findings had reinforced his belief that India was no longer functioning as a democracy, he said. Apologies to foreign delegates The Leader of the Opposition also apologised to international delegates who were invited to the Bharat Summit but were allegedly denied visas or permission to enter India.
“I would like to apologise to the many delegates and leaders who were scheduled to attend but were not allowed to come by the Government of India,” he said, adding that the episode offered a glimpse of the situation the country was currently facing. Expressing confidence that the situation would change, Mr. Gandhi vowed to reclaim the country from what he described as fascist forces, which he said were gaining ground across the world.
He maintained that the struggle against such forces would be pursued through love and non-violence, expressing faith in the ability of democratic and progressive forces to bring about change.
