'People want regime change': Kapil Sibal hits back at Rajnath Singh over Bangladesh jibe

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Saturday launched a sharp counterattack on Defence Minister Rajnath Singh over allegations that the Congress and its allies were seeking a Bangladesh-style change of government, accusing the ruling establishment of abandoning its anti-corruption promises and questioning the integrity of institutions and electoral rolls. In a post on X, Sibal rejected Singh's contention that the opposition was pursuing regime change through street protests, arguing that the demand for a change in government stemmed from public sentiment. "You allege that Congress wants 'regime change' the Bangladesh route. No. People want 'regime change'," Sibal wrote. Invoking the anti-corruption movement that helped shape the political discourse before the BJP came to power at the Centre, he added, "Protests with the slogan 'India against corruption' brought you power. Then: You embraced corruption; captured institutions; manipulated voters list. Time to go!" Rajnath Singh : You allege that Congress wants "regime change" the Bangladesh route No. People want "regime change" Protests with slogan "India against corruption" brought you power Then : You embraced corruption Captured institutions Manipulated voters list Time to go ! -- Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) October 17, 2026 His remarks come a day after Singh accused the Congress and its political allies of using youth-led protests to create unrest and pursue a change of government modelled on the 2024 uprising in Bangladesh. Addressing a press conference in Lucknow on Friday, Singh had alleged that the Congress and its allies were attempting to channel the energy of young people into political confrontation rather than constructive work and nation-building. "The youth of the country are being made pawns in the politics of anarchy," the defence minister said. Singh argued that references to Bangladesh by opposition figures exposed what he described as a broader political agenda extending beyond electoral reforms and objections to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The minister was referring to the 2024 mass uprising that led to the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government in Bangladesh. Singh also targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, urging him to respect the verdict of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and accusing him of pursuing what he described as the politics of disruption. The war of words comes against the backdrop of protests in Delhi by opposition parties and civil society groups demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise. Opposition leaders have raised concerns about the transparency of the electoral roll revision process, alleging that eligible voters could be excluded. The BJP has rejected the opposition's broader political narrative and portrayed the demonstrations as an attempt to undermine the Modi government. The controversy gained traction after senior advocate Prashant Bhushan described the agitation against Kumar as a "fight for regime change", while All India Students' Association (AISA) president Neha Bora referred to the Gen Z movement in Bangladesh. The BJP has cited such remarks to argue that the protests are aimed at bringing down the government outside the electoral process. Opposition leaders, however, have framed their campaign around electoral transparency and institutional accountability.