Rahul Gandhi Vs Election Commission I The Democracy Debate as Nepal Burns after Bangladesh

Dr. Quraishi emphasized that South Asia, with 25% of the world’s population and 40% of its democratic voters, is the true “heartland of democracy.” From India’s vast elections to Nepal’s youth-led protests and Bangladesh’s political turbulence, he argued that the democratic impulse remains strong despite instability, corruption, and authoritarian streaks.

Speaking on Nepal, he described recent unrest not as the collapse of democracy but its assertion, fueled by social media and youth anger against corruption. On Bangladesh, he noted that Sheikh Hasina’s authoritarian approach, despite her pro-India stance, led to her undoing. Turning to Pakistan and Sri Lanka, he explained how fragile systems remain vulnerable to military or external interference.

Closer home, Dr. Quraishi criticized the current Election Commission’s combative stance toward opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, calling it “childish” and stressing that constitutional bodies must remain above political rhetoric. He underlined that electoral rolls—not EVMs—remain the weakest link and warned against arbitrary revisions without due process.

The conversation also touched on myths around India’s Muslim population growth, where Quraishi’s decades of research showed declining fertility rates and no threat of demographic imbalance.