India, Nov. 15 -- A constitutional democracy like ours cannot allow the vocabulary of 'regime change' to legitimize violence, the humiliation of opponents, or the persecution of minorities.

A fundamental difference exists between protest and political upheaval. The former is an essential instrument of democracy. In contrast, the latter is driven by mob mobilization, ideological extremism, and the systematic dismantling of institutions, essentially becoming a threat to democracy itself.

For India and Indians, there is a need to recognize this distinction before political and public discourse mistakenly understands anarchy as democratic renewal. And for this, we need look no further, as Bangladesh offers a sobering illustration. The July-...