No Need to Apologise": Rahul Gandhi Meets Student Protesters, Slams PM Modi and Amit Shah Over Alleged Police Brutality

Apologise

Introduction

In a significant political escalation surrounding the nationwide anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) demonstrations, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met with a delegation of student protesters to express solidarity with their movement. Addressing the young activists directly, Gandhi assured them that there was *no need to apologise for defending constitutional values and standing up against government policies*.

The meeting came in the backdrop of widespread student-led demonstrations across major national universities, followed by severe police action that sparked outrage across the country. Launching a scathing attack on the Central government, Gandhi targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, accusing the administration of using brutal force to suppress peaceful dissent and undermine the democratic rights of the youth.

Background: The Student Agitation and Campus Crackdown

The agitation erupted following the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Bill in Parliament in December 2019, which subsequently became law upon receiving presidential assent. Protests quickly spread across educational institutions, most notably at Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) in New Delhi and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in Uttar Pradesh.

On December 15, 2019, the situation escalated dramatically when violent clashes broke out in the vicinity of Jamia Nagar in New Delhi. Personnel from the Delhi Police, which functions directly under the jurisdiction of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, entered the Jamia Millia Islamia campus. *Students alleged that police entered university reading rooms and libraries, using tear gas shells and baton charges against unarmed individuals*.

Conversely, the police administration stated that officers entered the campus strictly to control lawlessness, apprehend external agitators who had set public buses on fire, and restore order to the surrounding residential areas. Similar scenes were reported from Aligarh Muslim University in Uttar Pradesh, where state police forces engaged with protesting students, leading to numerous injuries and detentions.

Rahul Gandhi’s Direct Attack on PM Modi and Amit Shah

During his interaction with the student representatives, Rahul Gandhi underscored that peaceful protest is a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution of India. *He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were attempting to govern the country through fear and intimidation*.

Gandhi stated that the government’s response to student demonstrations revealed a deep-seated fear of youth power and critical thought. He emphasized that the youth of India were expressing genuine concerns regarding the nation's economic trajectory, employment opportunities, and social harmony. *According to the Congress leader, the central leadership was using coercive state machinery to silence legitimate questions being raised by the student community*.

The Congress party had earlier organized a protest at Rajghat, the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi, where top leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, read the Preamble of the Constitution to highlight what they termed an assault on foundational democratic values.

Key Demands and Student Grievances

During the delegation's meeting with the Congress leadership, student representatives outlined several critical grievances regarding the events that unfolded on university campuses and the subsequent handling of the protests.

• Immediate registration of independent inquiries into police conduct inside university campuses, particularly Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University. - Unconditional withdrawal of all criminal charges and First Information Reports (FIRs) filed against student activists engaged in peaceful demonstrations. - Adequate monetary compensation and full medical coverage for students who sustained serious physical injuries during the police action. - A complete rollback of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and an explicit assurance regarding the non-implementation of a nationwide National Register of Citizens (NRC). - Firm statutory measures to safeguard the administrative autonomy and physical security of educational institutions across India.

Government and BJP’s Counter-Response

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and central government representatives strongly rejected the allegations made by Rahul Gandhi and the opposition parties. Senior ministers defended the actions of the law enforcement agencies, maintaining that the police acted in the line of duty to prevent large-scale arson and maintain public safety in the capital.

*BJP leadership accused the Congress party and opposition allies of deliberately misleading students and stoking violence for political gains*. Government spokespersons clarified that the Citizenship Amendment Act was designed exclusively to grant citizenship to persecuted religious minorities—namely Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians—from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, and that it contained no provision to strip any Indian citizen of their rights.

The Union Home Ministry reiterated that while peaceful expression is respected, destruction of public property and disruption of law and order would be dealt with strictly according to the law.

Legal Action and Status of Investigations

The legal aftermath of the campus incidents saw multiple petitions filed before the higher judiciary seeking accountability and independent probes.

• *The Delhi High Court entertained several petitions requesting the setup of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the police entry into Jamia Millia Islamia*. - The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) conducted an independent inquiry into the violence at both Jamia and AMU, subsequently submitting its findings regarding the extent of force used by law enforcement authorities. - Multiple FIRs were registered by the Delhi Police against individuals accused of participating in violent clashes, while student groups filed counter-complaints demanding criminal action against police officials. - In Uttar Pradesh, state authorities initiated legal proceedings under public property damage acts against individuals implicated in rioting during the demonstrations.

Broader Political and Social Impact

The interaction between political leaders and student groups marked a significant moment in the anti-CAA/NRC movement. Protests extended beyond university grounds to public spaces, most notably Shaheen Bagh in New Delhi, where civil society groups and local residents maintained a months-long sit-in demonstration.

*The incident served as a unifying rallying point for youth organizations and opposition political factions across multiple states, including West Bengal, Maharashtra, Kerala, and Karnataka*. Analysts observed that the active participation of students transformed the legislative debate into a wider discourse on constitutional freedoms, civil liberties, and the democratic right to dissent.

Conclusion

The meeting between Rahul Gandhi and student protesters highlighted the deepening political divide over the central government's legislative decisions and law enforcement strategies. By affirming that students had no reason to apologise, the Congress leadership explicitly aligned itself with youth-led constitutional movements, challenging the executive authority of PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. As legal proceedings continue in the courts and public debates persist across the nation, the events surrounding campus protests remain a focal point in discussions regarding Indian democracy, federal policing, and student rights.

Source: Times of India

*Source: Times of India — foolpolitics.in*

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