Fadnavis at Nagpur rally says "international conspiracy" being hatched under Rahul Gandhi's lead

A large march was taken out in Nagpur today by the BJP and the Mahayuti alliance under the slogan "Save democracy, remove anarchy". The march began at Yashwant Stadium and passed through Panchsheel Square, Rani Jhansi Square and Variety Square before reaching Samvidhan Square. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took part.

Speaking on the occasion, Fadnavis made sharp allegations against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi. He said they had gathered to save democracy. According to Fadnavis, Gandhi and his associates are targeting democracy and the Constitution. He also said an international conspiracy is being hatched under Gandhi's lead.

Addressing Gandhi, Fadnavis said he had warned of fighting on the streets, but should remember that this is Dr Babasaheb's Constitution. The Chief Minister said the BJP was ready for a fight on the streets too. In his words: "However large the numbers in which you come, we will come out on the streets in far larger numbers and show you. This is the roar of Bharat."

The Chief Minister alleged that these people want a regime change. He said their regime change is not merely a change of power but that they want to change India's democratic system itself. According to Fadnavis, the intention is to remove democracy and bring in an ultra-leftist system, and Gandhi leads this international group.

Citing Babasaheb, Fadnavis said the fundamental rights given to the people were the most important feature of the Constitution. He asked what would happen if a government took these rights away, and said the Indira Gandhi government had taken them away in 1975.

The Chief Minister said Congress is a party that plays games with the Constitution and the Supreme Court. He said Gandhi carries a red Constitution in one hand, whereas Babasaheb's Constitution was blue. Fadnavis asked where Gandhi had got this red Constitution from. According to him, Babasaheb had warned against the red flag and had said in a speech that the threat to his Constitution came from the red flag.

Fadnavis further said these people know that if they abused the Constitution, people would beat them with shoes. So, instead of saying anything about the Constitution, they are defaming the institutions created under it. He claimed Gandhi would tell people that institutions are not delivering justice and therefore the Constitution should be changed. Fadnavis said this is what happened in Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan, and Gandhi should remember that if he plays with the Constitution, his hands too will burn.

The Chief Minister also targeted Gandhi over the voter list. He said Gandhi does not trust that living people will vote for him, and therefore demands that the names of dead people be brought back on the voter list. According to Fadnavis, the names of Bangladeshis were removed, which is why they are in distress.

At the end of his speech, Fadnavis said they had taken to the field today to save democracy. He claimed that Gandhi wants to bring about regime change in the country with an international conspiracy, and that if people do not wake up, they will end India's democracy.