Guwahati: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday claimed that India was no longer a democracy, alleging that the country’s democratic system had been undermined since 2014. He also said the Opposition remained in a state of shock for nearly a decade following major changes in the country’s political and electoral landscape.

Addressing the Bharat Summit 2026 in Hyderabad, Gandhi said Opposition parties initially struggled to understand the political developments that followed the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Recalling the election, he said it introduced a new style of campaigning and witnessed an unprecedented flow of money into the political system.

“In 2014, we witnessed a completely new kind of election, something we had never seen before. Millions and millions of dollars were pumped into the political system. There was a completely new type of campaign, a kind of political drama we had never witnessed before,” he said.

Gandhi argued that an electoral system accustomed to closely contested elections and coalition governments had undergone a dramatic transformation, leaving Opposition parties struggling to respond.

“I would be lying if I said the Opposition was not in shock. We were in shock, not for a year, not for two years, but for an entire decade,” he said.

He claimed that the Congress and other Opposition parties subsequently began examining election results across different states to understand the changes.

Citing Maharashtra as an example, Gandhi alleged that the Opposition had secured nearly the same number of votes in the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, despite the two polls producing significantly different outcomes.

He further claimed that seven million additional voters were included in the electoral rolls during the three-month period between the elections and alleged that all of them voted for the BJP.

“I can give you similar examples from state after state,” he said, adding that the Congress had examined the available details and found evidence supporting its concerns.

“What we have found and proven is that India is actually no longer a democracy,” Gandhi stated.

Rahul Gandhi calls ruling party leaders’ ‘fascists’

During his address, Gandhi also criticised the ruling party, describing certain political leaders as fascists.

He outlined two contrasting approaches to leadership. One, he said, involved individuals who believed they possessed all the answers and had little willingness to listen to others. The other involved people who remained curious, considered different viewpoints and acknowledged their mistakes.

Gandhi said the first category could be found across business, academia and politics, where individuals often believed they knew everything.

“In politics, we call them fascists,” he said.

He alleged that such individuals preferred shouting and confrontation over listening to differing opinions, while the majority remained more open to alternative perspectives.

“Fascists tend to have a louder voice. Historically, fascists emerge when systems collapse. When everything is working, they go into hiding. But when systems and structures collapse, they suddenly emerge, create a nuisance for a little while, and then disappear again,” he said.

Describing the current political environment as a contest between these contrasting approaches, Gandhi claimed that people he characterised as fascists had dominated public discourse over the past decade, while others remained confused about the developments.

Rahul Gandhi apologises to foreign delegates over entry restrictions

Gandhi also apologised to international delegates and leaders who were scheduled to attend the Bharat Summit but could not 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. I apologise. It is not our fault, but it gives you a sense of what we are dealing with in our country,” he said.

His remarks came amid a controversy over reports that several foreign speakers invited to the two-day summit had been denied entry into India.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor had on Friday claimed that 115 of the 315 speakers cleared by the Ministry of External Affairs had either been denied entry or had their visas cancelled, allegedly following instructions from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Tharoor questioned the legal grounds for the decisions and criticised the Centre, arguing that a democracy should not restrict voices it fears might be critical.

Responding to questions about the controversy, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said visa-related decisions were sovereign functions of a country’s government.

The two-day Bharat Summit, organised by the Congress-led Telangana government, has brought together policymakers, political leaders, intellectuals and representatives from countries across the Global South and Global North.

The summit seeks to provide a platform for discussions on international cooperation, democracy, economic justice and other global issues.