NAGPUR: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday said that “regime change has neither happened nor will it happen”, while referring to protests in France and developments in Albania, Nepal and Bangladesh.
Addressing the Sangh’s centenary-year Vijayadashami function at Reshimbagh ground in Nagpur, Bhagwat said protests over social problems and shortcomings in the system were natural. However, protesters, the administration responsible for maintaining law and order, and political leaders must respect the Constitution, the law and the norms of civility in public life.
He urged leaders to ensure that protests do not divide the country and society, and said demonstrations must remain within constitutional limits. Society should not be caught in the grip of protests, he said, adding that problems could not be easily resolved through movements alone.
“Social participation and mutual dialogue must increase. We also have a responsibility to run society and the country”, Bhagwat said. If a protest has a different underlying purpose, it becomes political, he said, warning that protests can deepen hostility and be exploited by forces opposed to the country.
#WATCH | Nagpur, Maharashtra: At RSS’ Vijayadashami celebrations, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat says, “A storm has swept in from the West to destroy all that is decent, auspicious, and rooted in cultural and human values. Even the developed nations are afflicted by this storm. See what is happening in France, Albania, Bangladesh, and Nepal. All this has been done by them. They say that a regime change will change the situation, but that has never happened; not now, not ever…India too is their target. Such attempts are being made in India as well. But due to the strong policies with which India has functioned in the last few decades under a strong leadership, and due to the new generation’s sense of pride in their country and their spirit to do something for the country, their game was shut down. These demonic forces know it. So, India is on their target. They attempt to break India, Hindus and Sangh, they call it ‘dismantling’. They even get help from like-minded elements; they get ambitious politicians for this. Our society is vast, and our country is still developing, so challenges persist…Protests must indeed happen, but they must be for a solution. Whether it is protesting groups, authorities enforcing law and order, or political leaders, no actions should create conflict, hatred, bitterness, or division within our united society. No matter how strong emotions run, our actions must stay within the boundaries of the Constitution, the law, and civil decorum…”
(Video: RSS)
— ANI (@ANI) October 20, 2026
Bhagwat’s remarks come amid a political row in India over violent protests in Albania, where demonstrators set fire to offices inside the Supreme Court in the capital, Tirana, and targeted other government institutions amid demands for Prime Minister Edi Rama’s resignation.
According to Al Jazeera, offices at Albania’s Supreme Court were set ablaze as anti-government protests entered their fifth day on October 18. The unrest continued into a sixth consecutive day, with protesters demanding better education, more jobs, an end to alleged corruption and Rama’s resignation.
The protests also saw clashes between demonstrators and police, who used rubber bullets, water cannons and tear gas to disperse crowds. Al Jazeera reported that 272 people, including 169 police officers, had been injured in the clashes since Tuesday, according to figures released by Albania’s Ministry of Health.
The developments triggered a political exchange in India after Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut referred to the violence in Albania in a post on X and said other countries, particularly India, should learn a lesson from the events.
“The people of Albania have burned down the Supreme Court. The people were enraged because the Supreme Court was helping corrupt prime ministers. The protesting public has also attacked the parliament and government offices, as well as the ministers’ homes. All countries should learn a lesson from these events. Especially India,” Raut wrote.
BJP leader Pradeep Bhandari criticised Raut’s remarks, accusing Congress and its allies of threatening Indian democracy. In a post on X, Bhandari said, “Congress party and its alliance are threatening anarchy and the Supreme Court! They are envisioning anarchy! This proves they want chaos! Congress party and their alliance are a threat to Indian democracy!”
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju also alleged that a conspiracy similar to those behind unrest in France and Bangladesh had been planned in India, claiming that anti-India groups and some politicians had sought to incite young people and spread violence. “Regime change in India is absolutely possible, but only through elections, not through Soros,” Rijiju said.
The Opposition rejected the allegations, maintaining that its protests over the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise were aimed at ensuring free and fair elections.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor dismissed comparisons between India and countries witnessing violent unrest, asserting that the Opposition believed in peaceful demonstrations. “India is not Bangladesh and India is not France… We only believe in peaceful protest,” Tharoor said, adding that the demand for free and fair elections was a constitutional issue and not an attempt to topple the government.
Congress MP Pawan Khera also criticised comparisons between India and Europe, alleging that the ruling party was using international developments to discredit peaceful protests.
The political exchange comes amid continuing differences between the ruling BJP and the Opposition over the SIR exercise, with Congress raising concerns over the removal of names from electoral rolls and the BJP accusing opposition leaders of encouraging unrest.
Meanwhile, Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama has ruled out resigning amid the protests and blamed a “foreign hand” for the unrest, while saying his government was ready to address the justified demands of students and discuss education costs, according to Al Jazeera. (ANI)
