Chennai, Oct 2026 : Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday pledged the Opposition’s support to young protesters, asserting that the campaign to defend the Constitution would continue and that those allegedly undermining it would be challenged.
Speaking during his Chennai visit for the “Chhatron Ki Goonj” student outreach programme, Gandhi issued a strong message to the Union government through a post on X. He challenged the authorities to arrest Opposition leaders and young people if they wished, declaring that neither he nor his political colleagues would retreat from the fight.
His remarks came amid police action in Delhi against people attempting to participate in a demonstration demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of cowardice, claiming that his decade-long political confrontation with them had helped him understand their methods.
“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.
The Congress leader 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”.
Claiming that the political space available to these individuals was shrinking, Gandhi said the Opposition was intensifying its efforts to hold them accountable.
“We are closing that space,” he asserted.
Challenging the Prime Minister over the deployment of police to deal with protesters, Gandhi said the government could mobilise as many personnel as it wanted and detain Opposition leaders or young demonstrators. Such measures, he maintained, would not weaken their resolve.
“We are surrounding you, and we are not going to back down,” he said.
Gandhi further claimed that the Opposition possessed the information necessary to pursue its campaign, although he did not disclose details. He said he was determined 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 confidence in India's youth, the Congress leader urged young people to continue protesting and assured them that the Opposition would stand firmly behind their efforts. He also shared a video of his remarks on social media.
Meanwhile, the proposed protest in Delhi was organised by the Cockroach Janta Party at Jantar Mantar. Delhi Police said more than 3,000 people attempting to reach the protest venue were detained. In a separate preventive measure, over 600 people with criminal records were also taken into custody.
According to the police, the organisers had not obtained permission to hold the demonstration, while prohibitory orders remained in force across the New Delhi area.
Gandhi's message underscored the Congress's stated intention to support street protests and mobilise young people as part of its broader political campaign against the Union government.
