Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday warned that attempts to bring about “regime change” were being made in India, alleging that forces seeking to weaken the country were finding support from "ambitious political leaders".
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has warned of regime change efforts in India, citing unrest in France and Nepal.
Addressing the RSS's annual Vijayadashami event in Nagpur, Bhagwat said that such attempts were driven by "self-interest" and did not necessarily resolve a country's problems. Citing unrest in France, Albania, Nepal and Bangladesh, he argued that regime change was often presented as a solution without addressing the underlying issues.
“They say that ‘regime change’ will change the situation, but it has never happened before, and it is not happening today,” Bhagwat said.
He stated that similar efforts were underway in India but said the country had been able to counter them through firm leadership, sound policies and collective social strength. He also claimed that some global powers were uncomfortable with India's growing influence and wanted to prevent it from becoming stronger.
"A wave of unrest is sweeping in from the West. Look at what is happening in France and what happened in Nepal. Regime change is often presented as the solution, but changing a regime does not necessarily change the underlying circumstances.
"Similar attempts are being made in India as well. However, under firm leadership and through the collective strength and determination of society, such efforts have been countered," Bhagwat said.
‘Protests should seek solutions, not regime change’
Bhagwat said protests were a natural response to problems in a democratic society, but argued that they should focus on finding solutions rather than creating divisions and hostility.
“Every developing nation faces challenges, but protests should aim to find solutions, not merely change regimes. Problems persist, and agitations happen. But agitations should aim at solutions. It should not lead to ill-will in society,” he said.
The RSS chief also alleged that forces seeking to destabilise India were exploiting social divisions and public dissatisfaction. He claimed that some political leaders were aligning themselves with these efforts out of personal ambition. "These forces find ambitious political leaders willing to support their agendas," he remarked.
Remarks come amid row over protests
Bhagwat's comments come amid a political dispute over protests against the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demands for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation.
The debate intensified after senior Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan said that the protests had become “really a fight for regime change”. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju subsequently alleged that anti-India groups and some politicians had plotted to incite street violence, drawing comparisons with unrest in Bangladesh and France.
The BJP has cited such remarks to accuse Opposition leaders and activists of seeking to destabilise the government through street protests. Opposition figures, however, have rejected comparisons with violent upheavals abroad, maintaining that their demands concern electoral integrity and democratic rights.
Bangladesh's 2024 student-led uprising culminated in the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government, while youth-led protests in Nepal in September 2025 escalated into violence and led to the resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. These developments have since featured in India's political debate over the role of street movements and demands for political change.
Bhagwat's message was that protests should lead to constructive change rather than instability, while his allegations of coordinated efforts to weaken India add to the growing political battle over the intent behind the current demonstrations.
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