LoP Rahul Gandhi Meets Jantar Mantar Protesters, Says ‘You Have Done Nothing Wrong’

The Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi met young students protesting at Jantar Mantar and said they had no reason to apologise, asserting that they had done nothing wrong by raising their concerns over the education system and the future of the country.

‘You Do Not Need To Apologise’

After meeting the protesters, Gandhi said the students had not indulged in violence but had faced harassment, threats and alleged police action, including lathi-charge and beatings.

“I had a meeting with our young protesters, and we had a conversation,” Gandhi said, thanking young people who, according to him, had fought for the education system, the Constitution and the future of India.

He said the central issue discussed during the meeting was violence, arguing that the protesters had not committed violence against anyone.

Gandhi told the students that they should not apologise for raising their concerns.

“You have done nothing wrong, and there is no question of accepting your apology. You do not need to apologise to anyone. You have done nothing wrong,” he said.

Rahul Gandhi Calls Apology Video ‘Complete Nonsense’

Furthermore, launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the government's handling of student protests, calling an apology video by a 15-year-old girl a “forced statement”.

Speaking to the media after meeting five student protesters, Gandhi alleged that the students had been attacked, threatened and abused on social media despite not having done anything wrong.

Gandhi alleged that the government first pressured the students and then sought an apology from the 15-year-old girl.

“Forcing them (students) first, sending gundas to their house, forcibly demanding apology of a 15-year-old girl and then accepting that apology is complete nonsense,” he said.

Gandhi said the Congress would not accept what he described as the treatment of the protesters and called for reforms in the education and examination system.

“We do not accept it, we want an education system that works, we want exam leaks to stop, and we want the future of this country to be respected and protected,” he said.

Gandhi Targets Amit Shah Over Alleged Violence

Gandhi also targeted Home Minister Amit Shah, alleging that the BJP was responsible for violence against young protesters.

He questioned why Shah had not explained in Parliament what had happened to the students during the protests.

According to Gandhi, the five students he met had been targeted during the demonstration, assaulted and subsequently subjected to abuse on social media.

He added that there were two possibilities behind the Home Minister's silence — either Shah was unaware of the alleged violence, which Gandhi described as incompetence, or he had ordered the action, which would make him culpable.

“In both cases, he is responsible,” Gandhi said.

Student Says She Was Harassed After Mumbai Incident

Riya Ahir, one of the students, said she had previously intervened to prevent around 20 children from being allegedly detained illegally after stopping a police van in Mumbai.

“I am the same girl who stopped a police van in Mumbai, and now many narratives are being circulated about me,” she said.

Ahir alleged that she was subsequently harassed and said she had filed a police complaint on July 27, but no FIR had been registered as of August 5.

She said she was nevertheless encouraged that the young people she had stood up for were now supporting her.

Student Alleges Pellet Gun Injury

Nutan Toppo, a resident of Jharkhand, alleged that she was injured during the protest after a pellet gun was pointed at the group.

“I saw a pellet gun pointed at us. As soon as I turned back, it fired, injuring me,” she said.

Toppo added that she would continue to protest against injustice whenever she got an opportunity.

Nagpur Student Alleges Brutal Treatment

Bharat Banayat, a resident of Nagpur, alleged that protesters were treated brutally when they demanded the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan.

“We were treated so brutally when we demanded Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation. Had we demanded Amit Shah's resignation, we would probably have been shot,” he alleged.

Uttar Pradesh Student Says Protesters Were Called ‘Traitors’

Farah Naaz, a student from Uttar Pradesh, said the group had been holding a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar on July 20 when police allegedly resorted to a lathi-charge.

She alleged that protesters were subsequently detained and called “traitors”.

Naaz said the students would continue raising their voices over what they described as their rights and issues concerning the country.

Gandhi Says Citizens Must Stand Against Injustice

Gandhi also stressed that citizens have a responsibility to stand up when injustice is committed, even when the affected person is someone else.

He said the students' decision to protest was linked to their concerns over issues affecting education and the country's future.

Rahul Gandhi Raises Student Issues

Earlier, while launching a book, Gandhi had also spoken about problems faced by young people over employment and the examination system.

He said many students were taking to the streets seeking fair examinations and improvements in the education system.

Gandhi said the concerns of young people should be taken seriously as they represent the country's future. He also criticised the Central Government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling for student-related issues to be addressed on priority.

BJP Hits Back At Rahul Gandhi

The BJP hit back at Gandhi's allegations, accusing him of using children for political purposes.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said children should not be used to advance political narratives and criticised Gandhi's approach to the student issue.

“One should never attempt to play politics by using innocent children, resting a gun on their shoulders, as Rahul Gandhi is doing,” Patra said at a press conference.

He said children were the future of the country and urged the students who met Gandhi to remain fearless.

Patra also accused Gandhi of promoting what he described as a false narrative and a “bunch of lies”, while alleging that he had adopted a selective approach to the issue.

He said children should not be afraid of participating in movements when the need arises.