Chennai: Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday pledged support for young protesters and said the opposition would continue its campaign to defend the Constitution and defeat those he accused of attacking it.
In remarks shared on X during his Chennai visit for the “Chhatron Ki Goonj” student outreach programme, Gandhi challenged the Union government to arrest opposition leaders and young people, declaring that they would not retreat.
His comments came amid police action against people attempting to join a protest in Delhi demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the RSS of cowardice, saying more than a decade of confronting them had given him an understanding of their approach. “I’ve been fighting Narendra Modi and the RSS for over a decade now. I understand them like you would understand your opponent,” he said.
He targeted Home Minister Amit Shah, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Kumar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, describing them as the “villains of this story”. Gandhi claimed that the space available to these figures was narrowing as their opponents intensified their efforts. “We are closing that space,” he said.
Challenging PM Modi over the deployment of police, Gandhi said the government could mobilise as many personnel as it wanted and arrest leaders, young people or the opposition. “We are surrounding you, and we are not going to back down,” he asserted.
Gandhi said the opposition possessed the information it needed, without elaborating on its nature. He pledged to protect the voice of the Indian people and prevent a repetition of what he alleged had happened to the country over the past 10 to 15 years. Expressing pride in India’s youth, he urged them to “keep protesting” and assured them of the opposition’s support. He posted a video of his remarks.
The Delhi protest was organised by the Cockroach Janta Party at Jantar Mantar. Police said more than 3,000 people trying to reach the venue were detained, alongside over 600 people with criminal records held as a preventive measure.
According to Delhi Police, organisers had not received permission for the demonstration, and prohibitory orders were in force across the New Delhi area. Gandhi’s message to protesters was that his party would stand with them.
–IANS
