Albania court attack sparks political war in India; Rajbhar reacts

UP Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar condemned the attack on Albania's Supreme Court after Sanjay Raut's X post sparked a political war in India, with parties trading accusations of foreign-backed chaos and subverting democratic institutions.

Uttar Pradesh Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar on Tuesday condemned the attack on Albania's Supreme Court amid violent anti-government protests, saying the judiciary was paramount and that people should learn from such incidents.

Reacting to Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay 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."

Raut's Post Ignites Political War

What began as violent street action targeting the Supreme Court in Tirana, Albania, has ignited a high-decibel political war in India. As reports point to a coordinated ideological web spanning Europe, South America and Asia, Indian political parties are locked in a fierce battle over accusations of foreign-backed chaos, regime change and subversion of democratic institutions.

In Tirana, anti-government protests entered their sixth consecutive day, culminating in demonstrators setting fire to offices inside Albania’s Supreme Court, alongside attacks on parliament, ministry buildings and police forces. Over 270 people have been injured in clashes involving water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets as protesters demand the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.

The flames in Albania sent shockwaves across the globe when Raut, in his post on X, wrote, "The people of Albania have burned down the Supreme Court. The people were enraged because the Supreme Court was helping corrupt prime ministers. The protesting public has also attacked the parliament and government offices, as well as the ministers' homes. All countries should learn a lesson from these events. Especially India."

BJP Accuses Opposition of Encouraging Anarchy

Raut's remarks drew criticism from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). BJP leader Pradeep Bhandari accused Congress and its allies of threatening Indian democracy and encouraging anarchy. 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 their alliance are a threat to Indian democracy!"

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju also alleged that a conspiracy similar to those behind unrest in France and Bangladesh had been planned in India, claiming that anti-India groups and some politicians had sought to incite young people and spread violence. "Anti-India gangs and some politicians had colluded to incite the youth and spread violence on our streets," Rijiju said, adding that regime change in India was possible only through elections.

Opposition Rejects Allegations

The Opposition rejected the allegations, maintaining that its protests over the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise were aimed at ensuring 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. "India is not Bangladesh and India is not France... We only believe in peaceful protest," Tharoor said, adding that the demand for free and fair elections was a constitutional issue and not an attempt to topple the government.

Congress MP Pawan Khera also criticised comparisons between India and Europe, alleging that such narratives were being used to portray Muslims as inherently violent and discredit peaceful protests.

Details of Albanian Unrest

Meanwhile, Albania has witnessed days of violent anti-government protests, with demonstrators demanding better education, more employment opportunities, an end to alleged corruption and the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama. According to Al Jazeera, offices inside Albania's Supreme Court in Tirana were set ablaze as 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. Police used rubber bullets, water cannons and tear gas to disperse crowds during clashes.

According to figures cited by Al Jazeera from Albania's Ministry of Health, 272 people, including 169 police officers, had been injured in the clashes since Tuesday. Rama, who has been in office since 2013 and is serving his fourth term, ruled out resigning amid the protests and blamed a "foreign hand" for the unrest. He said his government was willing to address students' justified demands and discuss education costs, while insisting that those responsible for damaging public property must be held accountable.

Al Jazeera also reported that the unrest followed months of growing discontent in Albania. The first protests this year, dubbed the "Flamingo Revolution", began in May over a controversial luxury tourist complex project in southern Albania reportedly affiliated with Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)