Albania has burned Supreme Court, India should learn: Sanjay Raut
What's the story
A political row has arisen after Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut urged countries, including India, to learn from Albania. The Albania unrest, which is primarily student-led, has been fuelled by anger over alleged government corruption, unemployment and poor education standards. Protesters are demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama's resignation. Raut took to X to draw parallels between the situation in Albania and India, saying that people there have set fire to the Supreme Court for "helping corrupt prime inisters."
Controversial comparison
'All countries should learn from this, especially India'
Raut further alleged that protesters in Albania also attacked the parliament, government offices, and ministers' homes.
He concluded by saying that all countries should learn from these events, especially India.
Party colleague Priyanka Chaturvedi was quick to reject Raut's comparison, stating that India doesn't need to learn from any other country.
She called Albania a small nation that has suffered under a communist dictatorship for years.
Regime change
Chaturvedi slams calls for violent regime changes
She said disrupting institutions like the Supreme Court and Parliament was "entirely unacceptable."
Chaturvedi also slammed those calling for lessons from protests in Bangladesh to seek regime change.
She said such violent protests were eventually co-opted by an Islamist movement and led to attacks on minorities, including Hindus.
"Such violent regime change has no place in any democracy, and we should not look to examples like Albania, Paris, or other such instances for guidance," she said.
Unrest impact
BJP slams remark
BJP National Spokesperson RP Singh also slammed Raut over the remarks, saying, "Sanjay Raut is now indirectly and directly threatening the Supreme Court. I expect the Supreme Court to take cognizance of this and take whatever appropriate action is warranted."
"Sanjay Raut needs psychological counseling," BJP MLC Shrikant Panditrao Bhartiya also said.
The protests have resulted in 388 people being charged with criminal offenses, according to police reports.
Many police officers and protesters have also been injured during the demonstrations.
Raut
Raut clarifies remark
Raut later clarified that he didn't mean he didn't have faith in India's top court.
"If this government remains in power, chaos will inevitably spread; that is what I am saying. The Supreme Court should take note...We have faith in the Supreme Court, and it is the Supreme Court alone that can save the nation...If we cannot hoist the Tricolour in our own country, then what can we do?... This will lead to chaos...The Supreme Court must look into this..."