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Rahul Gandhi backs NSUI protesters and warns the Centre over allegations of police assault. (Img: X)
New Delhi: The confrontation over protests demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar intensified on Wednesday after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi backed NSUI activists who alleged that Delhi Police personnel assaulted them during detention. Gandhi warned Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah against standing against what he described as the voice of India.
At a press conference alongside the student protesters, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha called on the activists to preserve video evidence of the alleged incidents. He said the Congress would use the material to pursue accountability against those found responsible for wrongdoing.
The allegations, including claims of physical assault inside a police station and mistreatment of women protesters, have brought the conduct of law enforcement during political demonstrations into focus.
Addressing the press conference, Gandhi framed the protest as an issue that went beyond religious, caste or gender divisions.
“As I said in my press conference, this is India. Amit Shah ji, take a good look at this. There is no Hindu here, no Muslim, no one of any specific caste; there is no woman, no man. There is one voice, one protest. It is the voice of India, and you are standing against this voice—the Prime Minister is standing against this voice. I suggest to you: do not stand against this voice. No one can stand against this voice,” he said.
His remarks amounted to a strong political warning to the Prime Minister and Home Minister as the dispute over the protest and the alleged treatment of demonstrators escalated.
Gandhi also addressed the police personnel involved in the incident, urging the protesters to document what they claimed had happened and share the evidence with the party.
“To the police personnel, I have told all the students to keep a video record and send that evidence to us. When this entire matter concludes, we will utilise all that evidence and ensure that everyone who needs to be punished is punished—from PM Narendra Modi, Gyanesh Kumar, Amit Shah and even the constable who raised a hand against our children,” he said.
The allegations made by the protesters have not, in the material available for this report, been independently established. Any findings of misconduct or responsibility will depend on the available evidence and the outcome of an appropriate inquiry.
During the press conference, Gandhi introduced a female protester as “our sherni”, praising her for remaining fearless despite the alleged assault. “She was beaten, but she was not afraid. There was no hatred in her heart,” he said.
The woman alleged that she was assaulted by a female police constable while NSUI activists were being detained during the demonstration. According to her account, the protesters had been detained in three buses. She said each bus carried several activists, with approximately 30–40 people in each vehicle. Describing the situation inside her bus, she said there were two women and around 20–30 other NSUI colleagues.
The protester identified the woman constable as Chanchal Yadav. She alleged that when the detainees attempted to get off the bus to continue their demonstration, the constable grabbed her by the neck and pushed her. These are allegations made by the protester and would require verification through available video footage, witness accounts and the police's version of events.
A second protester alleged that he and another activist were physically assaulted after being taken to Parliament Street police station. Recounting the incident, he said he had joined the protest on the 4th and was detained the following morning, on the 5th. He alleged that he and a person identified as Dharmendra were pushed into the police station, where 15–20 personnel beat them.
The protester further claimed that one or two people involved were in plain clothes. He identified one of the alleged assailants as Bahab Singh Tomar and described the beating as severe.
The allegations raise questions about the treatment of detained protesters and the safeguards available to people held by police. However, the claims require independent corroboration, and the identities and roles of the individuals named have not been independently verified for this report.
The demonstration was linked to demands for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Rahul Gandhi's intervention has given the dispute a wider political dimension, placing the alleged treatment of student activists at the centre of a confrontation involving the Congress and the BJP-led government.
The episode also brings renewed attention to the balance between maintaining law and order during demonstrations and protecting the rights of people participating in peaceful protests.
For the protesters, the immediate issue is their allegation that police personnel used excessive force during detention. For the political parties, the dispute has become a question of accountability and the government's response to dissent.
Rahul Gandhi urged the protesters to preserve video recordings and other evidence and share it with the Congress. He said the material would be used to pursue action against those found responsible.
