Chennai: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during the Chhatron Ki Goonj programme at Island Grounds in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, on Saturday, October 10, 2026. (Photo: IANS/AICC)
Chennai, Oct 10 Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday assured the young protesters of his support, saying the opposition will continue its campaign to protect the Constitution and defeat those who attack it.
In a message shared on the social media platform X, Rahul Gandhi, speaking at the “Schools’ Echo” event held during his Chennai visit, said the government could arrest opposition leaders and youth if it wished, but he would not back down.
His comments came at a time when police action was taken against people trying to join protests in Delhi demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Rahul Gandhi called the government cowardly. He said he had been fighting against the NDA government for over a decade and understood its working style well.
Rahul Gandhi claimed that the political and ideological space for these people is steadily shrinking as his opponents intensify their fight.
Rahul Gandhi said, “Deploy as many police as you want, arrest as many leaders, youth, or opposition workers as you want, but we are not going to back down.”
He said the opposition has the necessary information, though he did not elaborate. Reiterating his resolve to protect the voice of the people, Rahul Gandhi said that what has happened to the country in the last 10 to 15 years will not be repeated.
Expressing pride in the youth of the country, he appealed to them to continue their protests and assured them that the opposition will always stand with them. In this regard, Rahul Gandhi also shared a video of his address.
The protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi was called by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP). According to the police, more than 3,000 people were detained while trying to reach the protest site. Additionally, as a precautionary measure, more than 600 people with criminal records were detained.
Delhi Police stated that permission for the protest was not obtained and prohibitory orders were in effect in the New Delhi area. Rahul Gandhi, in a message to the protesters, said that the Congress and the opposition would stand with them.
