Indian Overseas Congress Chairman Sam Pitroda recently claimed that while speaking at IIT Ranchi, someone hacked into the system and began broadcasting pornography. He then questioned, “Now, is that democracy? Is that fair?”

One must ask: Is that even a reasonable question? If a senior Congress leader like Sam Pitroda is fabricating incidents to paint India’s democracy as being under threat, we must scrutinise his motives.

Sam Pitroda’s question is not an innocent concern but seems like a deliberate attempt to push a narrative that democracy is in peril under the BJP.

This raises a fundamental question: Are Congress leaders so blinded by their hate for Narendra Modi that they are willing to manufacture scenarios that tarnish India’s reputation?

Does the Congress Party believe democracy is safe only when it governs? Is the Election Commission credible only when Congress wins? Are minorities safe only when they rule? These questions expose a troubling pattern — whenever Congress loses power, it seeks to de-legitimise India’s democracy.

Cuba’s national hero, José Martí, famously said, “Our wine may be bitter, but it’s our wine.” Meaning: Our Government may not be perfect, but it is ours to improve.

India’s democracy, like all democracies, has its flaws. But we, the people of India, will resolve them — not through foreign intervention but through our most powerful tool: The vote.

For 75 years, Indians have nurtured and protected their democracy. We do not need foreign oversight. Unfortunately, Congress does not share this confidence in India’s institutions.

Does Congress believe India is a successful democracy only when it is in power? The moment another party takes charge, its leaders cry out to the world: “Democracy is dead in India!” Ironically, they do so while participating in democratic elections.

Senior Congress leaders, both in India and abroad, like Sam Pitroda, display an unhealthy obsession with Western validation. Their actions allow foreign Governments to undermine India’s sovereignty.

When Rahul Gandhi was disqualified as an MP by a Court, both the US and German Governments commented on the issue.

The US Spokesperson stated that the State Department was “following the issue,” while the German Foreign Ministry had the audacity to tweet that they had “taken note” of the              verdict. Taken note — and then do what?

Did India’s Ministry of External Affairs ever tweet: “We have taken note of rising racism in Germany” when the German Commissioner for Anti-Racism warned that racism poses a threat to Germany’s democracy? Would Germany welcome such interference from India?

Why should Congress leaders seek democratic certification from a country that pioneered genocide in Namibia, deployed poison gas in World War I and orchestrated the Holocaust?

Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh even thanked the German Foreign Ministry for “taking note” of Rahul Gandhi’s case. Why didn’t he instead ask Germany how it plans to tackle its record-high far-right crimes, including Nazi glorification and anti-Semitic violence?

Congress’ history of seeking foreign intervention goes back to Nehru’s decision to take the Kashmir issue to the United Nations — a move that continues to haunt India even today.

Haven’t we learned from history, hasn’t the Congress party learnt from our history that wherever Western nations have interfered under the pretext of defending democracy, be it Pakistan, Afghanistan, the Middle East, Venezuela, Bosnia, Vietnam or Ukraine — chaos, bloodshed, debt and economic servitude              have followed?

Rahul Gandhi has made a habit of seeking Western validation. In 2009, he engaged in ‘poverty tourism’ by taking British Foreign Secretary David Miliband to a Dalit family’s home and declaring that this was the ‘real India.’

If poverty is what Rahul Gandhi sees as real India, it only proves the failure of his Congress party in uplifting India out of poverty in the 57 years it ruled India. This is precisely why voters rejected Congress, proving that democracy is alive and well.

In 2021, Rahul Gandhi lamented India’s ‘institutional capture’ during a discussion with US officials, even questioning why America remained silent on India’s democratic decline.

One wonders: Does he expect Washington to fix India’s problems? The irony is staggering — Congress misused institutions for 50 years, but we did not see Opposition leaders running and calling for foreign intervention.

More recently, after his ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, Rahul rushed to England to lament India’s ‘attack on democracy’ instead of strengthening his party, which was going for an election in the North East. His misplaced priorities cost Congress in the Northeast elections.

The time has come for the Congress leaders to shed their colonial mindset. Our wine may be bitter, but it is ours. Critiquing Government policies, engaging in robust debates and mobilising public support for change — these are acts of patriotism. Running to foreign Governments for approval is an act of submission.

Congress has to get this in their head — Threat to Congress is not a threat to Indian Democracy and Indian Democracy has not failed, instead the Congress party has failed India’s democracy with 57 years of dynastic rule.

If Congress wants to regain power, it must win the trust of the Indian electorate, not Western Universities, liberal think tanks or foreign Governments.

Congress must stop seeking legitimacy abroad and start earning it at home. It is not Sam Pitroda or Uncle Sam who will decide Congress’ fate — it is the people of India.

So, stop running to your white masters and start serving your brown brothers and sisters.

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