New Delhi: Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, brought together a group of student protestors, including those from Jantar Mantar and the viral Mumbai girl (who stopped a police van in the middle of the road) before the press on Wednesday and defended them as the “saviours of the Constitution”.
Gandhi, addressing the media outside 10 Janpath in the capital, said that their stir was for defending the Constitution and protecting the idea of India, and hence they didn’t need to apologise to anyone.
His press meet came against the backdrop of a female protester, whose abusive words against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Jantar Mantar stir created a wide uproar, even leading to the filing of a police case and subsequently leading to the latter issuing a public apology on social media. The girl, reportedly 15 years old, regretted her remarks and sought pardon for her act. This drew protests from the Congress and others who accused the govt of coercion and browbeating her.
Rahul Gandhi, flanked by several youth protestors, defended their demonstration and stated they were defending the idea of India and voicing their grievances against the broken education system and therefore, to harass them and force them into tendering an apology is nonsensical.
“I am very proud of them and of what they, along with thousands of young Indians like them, have done. They have defended the Constitution. They have protected the idea of India and India’s future,” he said.
He said that raising concerns against a “flawed, collapsing, and useless” system was not a crime, and they only exercised their democratic right.
The Congress leader further said that the students were not violent, not aggressive and not being nasty, yet they were beaten, assaulted, and threatened.
He alleged that the students, including the female protesters, are being forced and put under pressure to tender an apology by sending goons to their homes, and this was a “nonsense act”.
“This is complete nonsense. We do not accept it,” he said.
The Congress leader further demanded that the government address the pressing issues and make “due corrections” in the education system.
“We want a better education system, an end to exam leaks, and a secure future for the youth of our country,” he asked.
Riya Ahir, the student activist who confronted the Mumbai cops and became a viral sensation, claimed that she didn’t disrupt police from doing duty and only stopped 20 students from being “illegally” detained by the cops, for which she was now being “harassed”.
“I am the same girl — who had stopped the police van in Mumbai, and now many narratives are being run about me. I had filed a complaint with the police on July 27, but today is August 5, and the FIR has not been registered yet. However, I am glad that the youth I stood up for are now standing with me,” she said.
Another protester, named Farah Naaz, said, “We were holding a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar on July 20. During that time, the police baton-charged us. After that, the police took us into custody and labelled us as traitors.”
“No matter what anyone thinks, we will continue to raise our voice for our country and our rights,” she asserted.
