Rahul Gandhi calls Modi, Shah ‘cowards’ amid CJP protest crackdown in Delhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior officials of “cowardice” and vowed to continue the fight against the government, as police detained opposition leaders, CJP leaders and hundreds of protesters ahead of the group's planned demonstration in Delhi.

“I’ve been fighting Narendra Modi and the RSS for over a decade now. I understand them like you would understand your opponent — inside out, like the back of my hand,” Gandhi said.

“The core characteristic of these people is cowardice,” he added, naming Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval among the people he accused of attacking the Constitution.

Gandhi's remarks came amid heightened security in the national capital on October 10, as the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and its supporters sought to protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls.

“Mr Modi, do whatever you want. Call out all the police: 10,000, 20,000, 50,000, whatever you want. Arrest all the leaders. Arrest all the young people. Arrest us all,” Gandhi said, vowing that the opposition would not back down.

“We are surrounding you, and we are not going to back down. Mark my words: we already have the information we need,” he added.

“We are going to defend our Constitution. We are going to protect the voice of the Indian people,” he said.

Gandhi also expressed support for young protesters, urging them to continue their demonstrations.

“Youth of India, I am proud of you. Keep protesting. We are standing with you,” he said, adding that the opposition would work to defeat the government.

Also Read: Centre held two meetings before notices, detentions across states to stop CJP protesters reaching Delhi

Delhi Police detained CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and co-convenors Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka shortly after their flight landed in Delhi on Saturday, according to reports. The detentions came before the planned demonstration at Jantar Mantar, for which police had denied permission. According to sources, around 3,000 protesters have been detained so far across Delhi NCR. Several opposition leaders, TMC Chief Mamata Banerjee, AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby, CPI(M) Kerala state secretary MV Govindan, A Vijayaraghavan, K K Shailaja, CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas, Kerala Finance Minister KN Balagopal, Brinda Karat, PK Sreemathi, TMC Rajya Sabha MPs Derek O'Brien and Dola Sen, and AAP Delhi unit chief Saurabh Bharadwaj, AISA president Neha Bora, and YouTuber Dhruv Rathee were also detained in the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led agitation against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.