If India needed yet another reminder of how low our Opposition benches can stoop, the just-concluded winter session of Parliament delivered it in full. What should have been a forum for constructive debate on legislation turned instead into a theatre of noise, slander, and sheer irresponsibility—directed not merely against the government, but against the very institutions that safeguard India’s democracy. At the heart of their latest drama was the completely manufactured allegation of “vote chori”. With a straight face, Opposition MPs questioned the credibility of the Election Commission of India (ECI)—a constitutional body whose impartiality and robustness have stood the test of decades. The trigger was the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, a routine exercise mandated to clean and update the voters’ list. Yet, instead of welcoming a process meant to strengthen democratic participation, the Opposition unleashed a tirade of baseless charges, attempting to erode public trust in the very mechanism that upholds free and fair elections. Their fake narrative collapsed spectacularly when the so-called “whistleblower” from the Citizens for Democracy and Secularism (CDS) group, who had hurled wild accusations, was forced to apologize publicly on Republic TV. His admission that the charges were unfounded exposed the deceit for what it was—an orchestrated smear campaign. But by then, irreparable damage had already been done to the ECI’s reputation. And who benefits from weakening the credibility of the poll panel? Certainly not the Indian voter, who relies on it to ensure their voice counts. The only beneficiaries are political parties desperate to explain away their repeated rejections at the hustings. That desperation has been the defining trait of the Congress and its motley band of allies in the so-called I.N.D.I. Alliance. Having faced humiliation in the 2024 general elections and again in subsequent state contests, they have abandoned introspection in favour of conspiracy theories. Instead of revisiting their policies, leadership, or disconnect with the masses, they now peddle lies about rigged elections, compromised judges, and even disloyal soldiers.
This last trend—targeting the judiciary and the armed forces—is the most reprehensible of all. India’s democracy rests on the trust citizens place in independent institutions. To casually question the integrity of judges and to cast aspersions on the loyalty of our armed forces is not just reckless politics; it is an insult to the nation itself. It signals that for the Opposition, nothing is sacred—not even the soldiers guarding our borders or the judges interpreting our Constitution. The irony is rich. These very parties, rejected by the electorate time and again, dare to claim they are defending democracy, while simultaneously trying to hollow out its pillars. They behave less like a responsible Opposition and more like spoilers in a game they cannot win fairly. Every baseless allegation, every manufactured protest, chips away at India’s global image as a confident and functioning democracy. The world is watching, and it sees an Opposition more eager to embarrass India than to engage in meaningful policy-making. Yet, amid the din, the government quietly managed to push through important legislation. Among them, the ban on online gaming apps involving money—a move long overdue, given the alarming addiction rates among Indian youth. Families across the country have watched children and young adults slide into debt, fraud, and mental health crises because of predatory online platforms. By outlawing them, Parliament has struck a blow for social well-being, even as the Opposition wasted the session on theatrics. The winter session could have been an opportunity to debate reforms, scrutinize governance, and engage in serious law-making. Instead, it became a stage for Opposition antics, driven by frustration and irrelevance. India deserves better. A democracy without a responsible Opposition is weaker for it. But a democracy where the Opposition itself becomes an embarrassment—mocking institutions, maligning the military, and misguiding citizens—is in danger of turning its greatest strength into its gravest liability.
