Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson and MP Sudhanshu Trivedi on Wednesday targeted Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut over his 'regime change' remarks, alleging that people who claim to be heirs of Balasaheb Thackeray's legacy are today standing with forces that are destroying the country's religion and culture, ANI reported.

Source: ANI via DevDiscourse

"People who claim to be the heirs of his (Balasaheb) legacy are today standing with those who are destroying our religion and culture, and they are saying with great confidence that if things from Vietnam come in, there will be a regime change, so my question now is to the Congress party — what is that formula, what is that secret, what is that information that Sanjay Raut has about Rahul Gandhi, but the Congress leaders don't have? And what are the conspiracy formulas?" Trivedi said at a press conference in New Delhi.

Trivedi further alleged that Raut's remarks were being driven by unknown, suspicious forces seeking to create unrest within the country from across the border, and questioned why talk of regime change consistently arises after Rahul Gandhi's foreign visits, referring to earlier 'hydrogen bomb' and 'tsunami' remarks. These are the BJP's allegations; no verifiable evidence of foreign interference was placed in the public domain at the press conference, NationPress reported.

Source: NationPress

What Raut had said

Trivedi's remarks came after Raut emphasised that a demand for a change of government is not a crime against democracy and accused the central government of election fraud — Raut's own claim. Speaking to reporters, Raut claimed the opposition would achieve a regime change in Maharashtra and across the entire country within the next six months, and asserted that a change in government is essential in the interest of the nation, ANI reported.

Source: ANI via Indian Economic Observer

What is solid

  • Trivedi made the foreign-forces allegation at a BJP press conference in New Delhi on October 21 (ANI).
  • Raut had claimed the opposition would achieve a regime change in Maharashtra and across India within six months (ANI).

What is only claimed

  • The BJP's allegation that unknown foreign forces are driving the 'regime change' talk — no verifiable evidence was placed in the public domain (NationPress).
  • Raut's claim of election fraud by the central government — his allegation, not an established finding.

"But be assured — under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, with the trust and good wishes of every single person in the country and with unwavering loyalty to the nation, your dream will shatter like glass striking a stone against the firm faith of the 1.4 billion patriotic countrymen," Trivedi added.