‘Oppose, Expose, Depose’: Jairam Ramesh Invokes Pranab Mukherjee After Rajnath Singh’s ‘Regime Change’ Charge

Jairam Ramesh Invokes Pranab Mukherjee’s Words

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday, October 16, 2026, hit back at Defence Minister Rajnath Singh by invoking a statement attributed to former President Pranab Mukherjee on the role of the Opposition in a democracy.

In a post on social media platform X, Ramesh said Singh needed to be reminded of what Mukherjee, who was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2019, would often say: “The job of the Opposition in a democracy is to oppose, expose and depose.”

Ramesh’s remarks came after Singh accused Congress and its political allies of attempting to bring about a change of government inspired by developments in Bangladesh. The Congress leader used Mukherjee’s words to argue that challenging the ruling government and seeking its replacement are legitimate functions of the Opposition in a parliamentary democracy. <Cite refs={["turn536029search1","turn536029search7"]}/>

Rajnath Singh Accuses Congress of Seeking Regime Change

Speaking to reporters in Lucknow, Singh alleged that Congress and its allies were using protests in Delhi to encourage political confrontation and spread what he described as “anarchy”.

The Defence Minister claimed that opposition parties and organisations supporting them were directing the energy of young people towards political unrest instead of constructive activities and nation-building.

Singh also alleged that some opposition figures were advocating a change of government along the lines of Bangladesh’s political upheaval. He argued that democracy did not give political parties the freedom to undermine constitutional institutions or create disorder.

The allegations formed part of the BJP’s criticism of protests involving opposition leaders, student organisations and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which have raised concerns about electoral-roll revision and demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. <Cite refs={["turn536029news10","turn536029news11"]}/>

Congress Rejects Allegations of an Unconstitutional Power Grab

Congress rejected Singh’s interpretation of its political campaign, maintaining that it believes in peaceful mobilisation, constitutional institutions, free and fair elections, and the authority of voters to choose their government.

Congress media and publicity department head Pawan Khera also defended the party’s demand for political change. He argued that a government can be replaced through elections and that demanding such a change does not amount to a coup.

Khera linked the party’s criticism to concerns about the functioning of the Election Commission and the broader political system. He also questioned the government’s response to demands concerning Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The Congress position is that electoral reform, criticism of public institutions and opposition to the government are legitimate parts of democratic politics. The BJP, meanwhile, maintains that the protests and the language used by opposition leaders raise concerns about political instability. <Cite refs={["turn536029search3","turn536029news10"]}/>

‘Regime Change’ Debate Linked to SIR Protests

The political exchange comes amid continuing demonstrations over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demands for Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.

Opposition leaders and activists have raised concerns that the revision process could exclude eligible voters and have called for greater transparency in the preparation of electoral rolls. The Election Commission’s stated purpose of revising electoral rolls is to improve their accuracy, while allegations of political bias and deliberate exclusion remain contested.

The protests have also drawn attention to restrictions on public gatherings and the detention of activists in Delhi. BJP leaders have argued that the demonstrations are being used to create political unrest, while opposition parties say they are exercising their democratic right to question institutions and demand accountability. <Cite refs={["turn536029search1","turn536029news11"]}/>

Why Pranab Mukherjee’s Statement Matters

Pranab Mukherjee served as President of India from 2012 to 2017 after a long political career that included senior roles in Congress and the Union government.

The phrase “oppose, expose and depose”, cited by Ramesh, encapsulates the Opposition’s role as understood by Congress: challenge government decisions, bring alleged shortcomings to public attention and seek to replace the ruling party through the democratic process.

In the current dispute, Congress has used the phrase to distinguish electoral competition from an unconstitutional attempt to seize power. The BJP’s criticism, in contrast, focuses on what it describes as the risk of protests being used to undermine institutions and encourage disorder.

The exchange illustrates how the two parties are interpreting the same political developments differently, particularly over the boundaries between legitimate dissent, electoral opposition and alleged attempts to destabilise the government.

Conclusion

Jairam Ramesh’s invocation of Pranab Mukherjee’s “oppose, expose and depose” formulation has added to the political confrontation between Congress and the BJP over the Opposition’s role in a democracy.

Rajnath Singh has accused Congress and its allies of pursuing a Bangladesh-style regime-change agenda and using youth-led protests to fuel unrest. Congress has rejected the charge, arguing that seeking to replace a government through elections is a constitutional democratic right.

With protests over electoral-roll revision and demands concerning the Chief Election Commissioner continuing, the dispute highlights the competing political narratives surrounding dissent, institutional accountability and the democratic process.