New Delhi, Oct 15 (IANS) After the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s accusation of "forced regime change", senior advocate Prashant Bhushan said on Thursday that the protests against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar has now turned into a "fight for regime change" and called it a "democratic right" of citizens.
Earlier in the day, the BJP accused the Congress and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi of attempting to "destroy Indian democracy" and facilitate a "regime change", following remarks by the All India Students' Association (AISA) President Neha Bora praising Bangladesh's Gen-Z movement, which she claimed, served as "inspiration" for young people in India.
"Rahul Gandhi and the entire ecosystem do not want to engage in political resistance; they want to bring about regime change," BJP National Spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said.
Addressing a press conference along with Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) Chief Abhijeet Dipke, Prashant Bhushan said: "There will definitely be a regime change. We all want a regime change. Is there anything wrong with that?"
"The BJP also had repeatedly protested for regime change (during the UPA government)... now they are claiming that we are conspiring for regime change," he added.
Bhushan asserted that regime change is the "democratic right" of every individual.
"That is why the Supreme Court had noted that the colonial-era sedition law is unconstitutional, till someone provokes people to incite violence or public disorder... only creating disaffection against the government is not a crime according to our Constitution," he said.
"That is why this is now really a fight for regime change," the advocate added.
Meanwhile, Abhijeet Dipke criticised the BJP-led Central government for crackdown on protests against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, saying that members of student organisations, opposition leaders and protesters were detained in order to "protect only one man, Gyanesh Kumar".
The CJP has called for a 'Tiranga Assembly', urging people to gather at the Central Park in New Delhi's Connaught Place at 5 p.m. on Friday, to wave the Tricolour, in protest against the arrest of his party's Co-conveners Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka.
However, BJP leader Gaurav Bhatia criticised the call, accusing the CJP and its supporters of attempting to "spread an atmosphere of anarchy".
"This toxic mindset will not succeed. It has now become clear that their stated goal is 'regime change.' Those who have never hoisted the Tricolour, never even held it in their hands, and have done nothing for the flag or the nation...you lack the standing to even contest elections, your security deposits would be forfeited if you contest one. Yet, you speak of 'regime change'," Bhatia remarked.
