New Delhi [India], October 20 (ANI): Violent anti-government protests in Albania, which saw demonstrators set fire to offices inside the Supreme Court in Tirana and target other government institutions, have triggered a political confrontation in India, with the BJP accusing Opposition leaders of encouraging 'anarchy and foreign-backed unrest', while Congress and other Opposition parties defended peaceful protests and rejected comparisons with violence overseas.

The political row intensified after Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut referred to the unrest in Albania in a post on X, suggesting that countries, particularly India, should learn a lesson from the events.

His remarks drew criticism from BJP leaders and Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, while Opposition leaders, including Congress MPs Shashi Tharoor and Pawan Khera and Trinamool Congress MP Sougata Roy, pushed back against allegations that their protests were aimed at destabilising the government.

Amid the political exchange, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday said that "regime change has neither happened nor will it happen", referring to protests in France and developments in Albania, Nepal and Bangladesh.

He stressed that demonstrations over social problems and shortcomings in the system were natural but must remain within constitutional and legal limits.

Addressing the Sangh's centenary-year Vijayadashami function at Reshimbagh ground in Nagpur, Bhagwat said protesters, the administration responsible for maintaining law and order, and political leaders must respect the Constitution, the law and the norms of civility in public life.

"Social participation and mutual dialogue must increase. We also have a responsibility to run society and the country," Bhagwat said.

He said protests arising from social problems were natural, but warned that when a demonstration had a different underlying purpose, it became political. He cautioned that such movements could deepen hostility and be exploited by forces opposed to the country.

Bhagwat urged political leaders to ensure that protests did not divide the country and society, emphasising that demonstrations must remain within constitutional limits. He also said society should not be caught in the grip of protests and that problems could not be easily resolved through movements alone.

In a post on X, Raut said, "The people of Albania have burned down the Supreme Court... helping corrupt prime ministers. The protesting public has also attacked the parliament and government offices... All countries should learn a lesson from these events. Especially India." 

In another version of the remarks cited in the political exchange, Raut said the public was enraged because the Supreme Court was helping corrupt prime ministers, adding that protesters had also attacked ministers' homes.

The remarks led to a sharp response from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Pradeep Bhandari, who accused the Congress and its allies of threatening democratic institutions.

In a post on X, Bhandari said, "Congress party and its alliance are threatening anarchy and the Supreme Court! They are envisioning anarchy! This proves they want chaos! Congress party and its alliance are a threat to Indian Democracy!"

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju also alleged that attempts were being made to incite young people and spread violence in India, drawing parallels with unrest in France and Bangladesh. "Anti-India gangs and some politicians had colluded to incite the youth and spread violence on our streets," Rijiju said.

He further stated, "Regime change in India is absolutely possible, but only through elections, not through Soros."

The Union Minister's remarks reflected the ruling side's allegation that international networks and political actors were seeking to encourage unrest and undermine democratic institutions.

However, the Opposition rejected the allegations, maintaining that its protests over the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise were intended to safeguard electoral rights and ensure free and fair elections.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor rejected comparisons between India and countries witnessing violent unrest, asserting that the Opposition believed in peaceful demonstrations and constitutional methods. "India is not Bangladesh and India is not France... We only believe in peaceful protest," Tharoor said.

He added that the demand for free and fair elections was a constitutional issue and not an attempt to topple the government. "What we are calling for is free and fair elections. It's a constitutional issue, not an issue of trying to topple a regime," he said.

Congress MP Pawan Khera also criticised the ruling party's comparison of India with European countries, accusing it of using international developments to discredit peaceful protests. "Comparing India and Europe is comparing apples with oranges... They are recycling a tired, dangerous trope," Khera said.

He further alleged, "In Europe, the protesters are the rioters. In India, it is the State and state-sponsored non-state actors, the Sangh brigade."

The Opposition has raised concerns over the removal of names from electoral rolls during the SIR exercise, while the BJP has accused Opposition leaders of encouraging unrest. The exchange has further sharpened differences between the ruling party and Opposition over the objectives of protests in India.

Trinamool Congress MP Sougata Roy also responded to the controversy, making it clear that he did not support burning down a Supreme Court while defending the right to protest.

"We never support burning the Supreme Court anywhere, anytime, but it is justified for people to protest, and they are protesting in the country too. I do not support Sanjay Raut's statement," Roy said.

Uttar Pradesh Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar, meanwhile, condemned the attack on Albania's Supreme Court, stressing that the judiciary must be respected.

Reacting to Raut's post on X, Rajbhar said, "Certainly, this is a tragic event. Such things should not happen, and the judiciary is paramount. If the public has acted against the court in this manner, we condemn it. As for learning a lesson, people should indeed learn from such incidents."

Maharashtra Minister Gulabrao Patil also criticised Raut's remarks, accusing him of adopting contradictory positions on constitutional institutions. "On one hand, they talk about saving the Constitution, while on the other, they speak of burning down the Supreme Court. I believe their very intentions are flawed," Patil said.

He added, "Such theatrics will not work. The government here is strong. We will not allow their designs to succeed. The nation will not tolerate such rhetoric."

The developments in India stem from violent anti-government protests in Albania, where demonstrators have targeted government institutions and clashed with police while demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.

According to Al Jazeera, offices inside Albania's Supreme Court in the capital, Tirana, were set ablaze as the protests entered their fifth day on October 18. The unrest continued into a sixth consecutive day, with demonstrators also targeting parliament, ministry buildings and police forces.

Hundreds of protesters gathered again on Sunday outside the Ministry of Education, chanting "Rama, resign", amid a tense standoff with police. Security forces used rubber bullets, water cannons and tear gas to disperse or hold back the crowds.

The protests have been driven by demands for better education, more jobs, an end to alleged corruption and Rama's resignation. Local media reports cited by Al Jazeera said demonstrators were primarily targeting government institutions and police, including the Ministry of Education building and the area around Rama's office.

Shops and institutions in Tirana's city centre secured their doors and windows with metal shutters, while municipal workers removed paving stones to prevent protesters from using them during clashes.

According to a Ministry of Health report issued on Sunday morning, 65 people were injured, including 37 police officers, of whom 12 were hospitalised. Since Tuesday, 272 people had been injured in the clashes, including 169 police personnel.

Rama, who has been in office since 2013 and is serving his fourth term, has ruled out resigning and blamed a "foreign hand" for the unrest.

He has said that his government is doing its best to address corruption and is willing to listen to the "justified demands" of students and discuss the costs of education. However, he has insisted that those responsible for the destruction of property must be held accountable.

Discontent in Albania has been building for months. The first protests this year, dubbed the "Flamingo Revolution", began in May, when demonstrators opposed a controversial luxury tourist complex project in southern Albania reportedly affiliated with Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, Al Jazeera reported.

The unrest in Albania has become a flashpoint in India's domestic political debate, with the BJP accusing Opposition leaders of encouraging anarchy and invoking foreign-backed attempts at regime change, while Congress and other Opposition parties insist that their demands for electoral reforms and free and fair elections are rooted in constitutional principles. (ANI)