Chennai, October 10, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Saturday pledged support for young protesters, asserting that the Opposition would continue its campaign to defend the Constitution and challenge those he accused of undermining it.
Speaking during his Chennai visit for the “Chhatron Ki Goonj” student outreach programme, Gandhi shared a video of his remarks on X and challenged the Union government to arrest opposition leaders and young people, saying they would not back down.
His comments came amid police action against demonstrators seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar during a protest planned at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of acting out of fear, saying his decade-long political confrontation with them had helped him understand 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 also targeted Union Home Minister Amit Shah, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh 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 the Opposition intensified its efforts. “We are closing that space,” he said.
Addressing the Prime Minister over the deployment of police, Gandhi said the government could mobilise as many personnel as it wanted and detain opposition leaders or young protesters, but the Opposition would not retreat.
“We are surrounding you, and we are not going to back down,” he asserted.
Gandhi said the Opposition had the information it needed but did not elaborate on what that information involved. He pledged to defend 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 confidence in the country’s youth, he urged them to continue protesting and assured them that the Opposition would stand by them.
The protest in Delhi was organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar. According to the supplied report, Delhi Police detained more than 3,000 people attempting to reach the venue and held over 600 people with criminal records as a preventive measure.
Police said the organisers had not obtained permission for the demonstration and that prohibitory orders were in force across the New Delhi area.
Gandhi’s message to the protesters was that the Congress and the wider Opposition would support their efforts to raise their demands.
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