Video summary
In a powerful address regarding the plight of Indian youth, Rahul Gandhi highlights the historic demonstration held on July 20, 2026, where students from all backgrounds united to demand educational reform and an end to paper leaks in their exams. The protesters displayed immense courage by standing together peacefully, singing and holding hands while asserting their constitutional rights under Article 19. Their movement was not merely a local event but gave voice to the silent suffering of millions across India who fear speaking out against systemic injustices, embodying the nation's glorious tradition of non-violent resistance that once secured independence.
Despite this peaceful assembly taking place in Delhi, just five hundred meters from Parliament, the government responded with brutal repression rather than dialogue or accountability. Security forces deployed under the direct command of Home Minister Amit Shah and Delhi Police used tear gas, nail-studded sticks, pet guns, and live ammunition to attack students, resulting in severe injuries including broken bones, gunshot wounds, and attacks on minors that caused deep trauma to their private parts. Specific incidents were cited where a nineteen-year-old named Sahil Lochab suffered glass shards embedded in his body after being hit by a pellet gun, while other students faced lethal fire from KS 47 rifles in Siwan, Bihar, leaving many critically injured or facing the threat of losing their sight.
The speaker argues that Home Minister Amit Shah bears full responsibility for these unconstitutional acts, presenting two logical scenarios: either he authorized the violence and is therefore guilty, or he was unaware despite his centralized control over security forces like the Rashtriya Rifles Force (RAF) which report directly to him, rendering him helpless yet still accountable. Instead of ordering an investigation or issuing a statement, Shah remained silent while Prime Minister Modi utilized propaganda machinery and lapdog media to deflect blame, continuing arrests and detentions to intimidate protesters. The administration's hypocrisy is further exposed by the fact that while they claim credit for national achievements like space missions without permission, they refuse to accept responsibility when their own security forces commit atrocities against citizens exercising legitimate rights within their jurisdiction.
Rahul Gandhi concludes by condemning the Prime Minister's recent video message forgiving the youth for expressing their views as a sign of being completely out of touch with reality and ignoring the gravity of the crimes committed against them. He warns that the image of Amit Shah has been irreparably destroyed among an awakened generation that will not allow officials to escape consequences for such inappropriate actions, promising continued opposition support to ensure justice is served. The speech ends with a firm declaration that if accountability is not provided today by those elected to power, it will be demanded tomorrow without fail, ensuring that the crimes committed against these young people are punished and their voices heard across the nation.
Read the full video transcript
Hello, this is your Rahul Gandhi.
In this edition of the podcast, I am going to
talk about the youth of the country. When the youth
took to the streets demanding their education, their future and accountability in the system,
what was the accountability of the Modi government? I
recently wrote an article on this topic in The Hindu.
Today I want to put this thought before you
and talk about the
questions that arise
not only from the violence against our students but
also from the government's response to it. On
July 20, 2026, the youth of India united in demanding a
fair education system and accountability for paper leaks.
Girls and boys from every caste, class, region and religion were gathered there.
He had enough courage to demand justice. He had
sufficient reason to understand his constitutional rights. He had the sensitivity to smile at his own suffering
and the
confidence that he could fight and
win. The country looked at these protesters
with wonder and respect. While they were
singing, dancing, laughing,
standing together holding each other's hands. His
resistance not only
gave voice to the pain of his own generation but
also to the suffering of millions of Indians who are
suffering but are silent due to fear.
This demonstration is a part of India's
glorious tradition of peaceful resistance. The same tradition that
gave us independence and which is
protected by Article 19 of the Constitution. Yet the
government tried to suppress the voice of the youth through brutal repression.
Tear gas shells were fired at them. They were
attacked with sticks studded with nails and pet guns.
Sahil Lochab, the 19-year-old I met, had
several glass plates embedded in his upper body.
A pet hit his eye,
which may have caused him to lose his eyesight.
Policemen armed with sticks
brutally attacked young women, causing
injuries to the private parts of many of them. The
minors were beaten with sticks. His
bones were broken. There were deep wounds and injury marks on the body.
Bullets were fired from a KS 47 at protesting students in Siwan, Bihar. Due to which many
students were seriously injured.
Who authorized this illegal and unconstitutional violence
? The Modi government
prides itself on its centralized control. Be it Mars mission
or Olympic medal. She repeatedly propagates
that the credit for this goes to Prime Minister Modi
and Home Minister Amit Shah. Nothing happens
without his permission. The
violence took place in the heart of Delhi,
barely 500 metres from Parliament.
Both the security forces deployed, Delhi Police and
RAF, report directly to the Home Minister. There
are only two possibilities. First,
he allowed the attack on students.
In such a situation they are guilty. Secondly,
he had no knowledge of this.
In such a situation they are completely helpless.
In both the situations, being the Home Minister,
he is responsible for the events of that day and he should resign.
Instead, their silence proves
that they support the attack on students.
He has neither
ordered any investigation nor issued any statement.
He has also refused to come to Parliament
and the
opposition's proposals demanding daily discussions have been
rejected without consideration. On the other hand,
in his anxiety to save his image, Prime Minister Modi has activated his propaganda machinery and lapdog
media.
FIRs and
detentions are continuing against young protesters to
intimidate them. BJP online
trolls are threatening young women protesters and their
parents,
forcing them to issue a public apology.
Prime Minister Modi himself
released a video forgiving the youth of India
because they had exercised their legitimate right to express their views.
How strange it is that a Prime Minister should
forgive his own citizens who are only
demanding accountability. Because Prime Minister
Modi is clearly completely out of touch with reality.
I want to warn them. The
youth across the country have awakened.
His image has been destroyed and now that image can never be
created again. The youth of India will
not let Home Minister Shah or any other official escape the consequences of their inappropriate actions. We
stand with the youth power in the opposition.
We will ensure that these crimes are punished. On
July 20, 2026, Sahil and thousands of
young people across India demanded accountability from those
they elected to power. If
not today, then tomorrow accountability will definitely be fixed and we will
ensure this.