In recent months, the Indian political landscape has been increasingly marred by accusations and counter-accusations between the Indian National Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with each party alleging the other is inciting violence and unrest. The Congress has repeatedly accused the BJP of employing divisive rhetoric and actions that could potentially instigate violence, while the BJP has made similar claims against the Congress, pointing to specific instances and statements made by Congress leaders.
Several incidents have fueled these accusations. For instance, in March 2025, the Congress alleged that the BJP government in Odisha orchestrated violence during a protest to defame the party and its workers. According to the Congress, the police used excessive force, including water cannons and lathi-charge, against peaceful demonstrators. Bhakta Charan Das, the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president, claimed that the Director General of Police (DGP) was acting as an agent of the ruling party and threatening the opposition.
Similarly, in July 2024, following an assassination attempt on former U.S. President Donald Trump, the BJP accused Rahul Gandhi of inciting violence against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Congress vehemently denied these allegations, labeling them as "cheap politics" and reminding the BJP of the Congress party's history of losing leaders to violence, including Mahatma Gandhi and two Prime Ministers. The Congress further contended that Prime Minister Modi and the BJP have been instigating people against the Congress leadership through the spread of misinformation.
Rahul Gandhi himself has been a vocal critic of the BJP, asserting that the "BJP people who spread violence and hatred do not understand the basic principles of Hinduism". This statement came after a clash between BJP and Congress workers outside the Gujarat Congress headquarters in Ahmedabad. Both parties blamed each other for initiating the violence, which led to the detention of several workers and leaders.
More recently, in August 2025, clashes erupted between BJP and Congress workers in Patna during a protest against alleged abusive language used against Prime Minister Modi in a video. The Congress accused the BJP of "attacking" and "vandalizing" its office, while Rahul Gandhi stated that "falsehood and violence cannot stand before truth and non-violence". The BJP, in turn, demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi and the Congress for the alleged abusive remarks, claiming they reflected the Congress's culture.
Furthermore, instances of controversial statements by political figures have added to the charged atmosphere. In September 2025, the Congress party criticized BJP leader Subrat Pathak for allegedly threatening students and youth protesting to safeguard constitutional rights. Pramod Tiwari, a Congress MP, condemned Pathak's remarks as "a dangerous assault on democratic and constitutional values" and demanded that an FIR be filed against him for inciting violence.
The BJP has also accused the Congress of using language that incites violence against Prime Minister Modi, citing instances where words like "maut" (death) and "hinsa" (violence) were used. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi argued that such rhetoric, even if intended for short-term political gains, could have dangerous consequences.
These ongoing accusations and counter-accusations highlight the deep-seated political polarization in India and raise concerns about the potential for further unrest and violence. With both parties trading blame and accusing each other of inciting their followers, the political climate remains tense, and the need for responsible leadership and measured rhetoric is more critical than ever. Some political analysts have observed a pattern of accusations of inciting unrest between the Congress and the BJP.
