Nitin Nabin Warns Opposition, Blames ‘Foreign Powers’ for Delhi Protests
Amid mass detentions of protesters, including leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), in and around Delhi on Saturday, BJP president Nitin Nabin used the “foreign hand” narrative to explain the government’s steps. Protesters were planning to make their way to Jantar Mantar in the heart of Delhi to protest and seek the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
Nabin’s allegations come at a time when US billionaire Elon Musk doubled down on his tirade against “delay” in the launch of his satellite communications company, Starlink, in the country. Musk has taken aim at industrialist Mukesh Ambani, referring to him as the “prime minister” and the “real boss of India”. A day earlier, he had taken aim at unnamed “oligarchs” for delaying the launch of Starlink, to which Gandhi had replied: “Welcome to India, Elon. Wait till you discover the other guy.”
“An attempt is being made to create a dangerous atmosphere in the country. An attempt is being made to destabilise the fact that most of the 140 crore people of the nation are contributing towards its development in peace. This is being done by two anarchic groups, which include the leader of the INDI alliance, Rahul Gandhi ji, and the group is being led by Arvind Kejriwal’s colleagues, the CJP,” Nabin said.
“I want to clearly tell both: the people are watching both of you closely, as well as the anarchic competition between you two. You are competing over who can trigger more destabilisation — but your designs will not succeed. Who are these people? They are those who have been rejected by the people. Whether it is Rahul Gandhi’s INDI alliance or Arvind Kejriwal and his CJP,” Nabin said.
The BJP president claimed that instead of learning a lesson from their defeats, these leaders had “decided to destabilise the nation”.
“I want to say that you are attempting this for your political objectives as well as at the direction of foreign powers. At a time when the nation is moving forward despite a global crisis, you are not being able to digest its progress,” he said.
“The kind of words that Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal and those from the INDI alliance are using, words which are being used by the so-called youth leadership of the CJP — the youth of Bharat is watching,” said the BJP president.
“The way you are attempting to challenge the country’s constitutional framework and its democracy — and the insulting language you employ against individuals holding the nation’s highest offices — will never be accepted by India’s 140 crore citizens, and you will certainly face the consequences,” he said.
Nabin said people would never allow the “nefarious intentions” of such leaders who relied on “foreign forces” for their politics, which is “up for sale” to alliances with forces that sought to destabilise the nation.
Challenging democracy “in the name of the Constitution with the support of lies is an insult to the people’s mandate”, Nabin said. He accused the protest leaders of ensuring that the country did not move forward peacefully due to their own “continuous defeats and frustration”.
“But today, I warn you that the Bharatiya Janata Party and the patriotic people of the country will give you a befitting response. The way attempts are being made today to create a tense situation, the Government of India will deal with it strictly, and at the same time, BJP workers will also stay among the people and thwart your schemes,” he said.
“We will ensure that the people of the country move forward on the path of peace and development, and with the trust you have placed in us, we will all together realise the dream of a developed India. We will deal firmly with all such forces active outside or inside the country,” he said.
A familiar refrain
For nearly half a century, the “foreign hand” has been a nebulous threat that political parties, across ideological shapes, float to fit any crisis.
Indira Gandhi was among the first. In the early 1970s, she warned of subtle foreign influence in universities and said it was a threat to Indian nationalism. During the Emergency in 1976, she told foreign critics, including the Socialist International, to stay out of India’s affairs. She blamed foreign forces again for the JP Movement that led to her defeat, and once back in power in 1980 she pointed to them behind the Moradabad riots and the Assam agitation. She also accused Pakistan’s Zia-ul-Haq of “internationalising” India’s riots.
Rajiv Gandhi, too, saw an “invisible” foreign hand trying to slow the country’s development during the Bofors controversy.
Manmohan Singh blamed foreign-funded NGOs for protests against a nuclear plant. The Congress hinted at American backing for Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement.
The Modi government has blamed foreign forces for every major protest. During the 2021 farm protests, after Rihanna and Greta Thunberg spoke up, Modi warned of a “Foreign Destructive Ideology.” He also linked activists to “international conspirators” and the so-called “toolkit.” A BJP MLA called the Shaheen Bagh protests a global conspiracy.
