Thanking protesters and INDIA bloc workers, Gandhi said the massive mobilisation had shown the government that people would not be intimidated, threatened or bullied.
BY PC Bureau
October 13: Rahul Gandhi on Sunday taunted RSS supporters whom he accused of attacking young protesters during the previous two days of demonstrations, asking: “Where were those people? Because I didn’t see them.”
Thanking the thousands who joined the protest and the millions who expressed support at 3 pm, Gandhi said the day’s mobilisation had sent a clear message to the government that people would not be intimidated.
“Today was a very important day because we needed to show the government that the people of India are not going to be intimidated. You cannot beat us, threaten us, frighten us. We will not accept being bullied,” he said.
Gandhi then turned his attention to those he accused of attacking young protesters.
“I was wondering where the cowards of the RSS who were beating the young children the day before yesterday were. Where were those people? Because I didn’t see them,” he said.
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I’d like to thank every single person who came out today for this protest. I’d also like to thank the millions of people who showed support in their own way at 3pm. Thank you to the leaders of INDIA bloc, all the workers of the Congress party and workers of the INDIA bloc.
Today was a very important day because we needed to show the government that the people of India are not going to be intimidated. You cannot beat us, threaten us, frighten us. We will not accept being bullied.
I was wondering where the cowards of the RSS who were beating the young children day before yesterday were. Where were those people? Because I didn’t see them.
When we are standing there and when the people of India are standing there, why don’t you come out? Why don’t you wear your little scarves and come out and see what happens?
Because you’re essentially, like the Prime Minister of India, bullies. You cannot stand up. You can only use power to fight.
So, it’s very heartening to see what happened. I’m proud of everybody. Everybody worked like a team.
As I said in my press conference, there are no parallel protests. It’s one protest, and it’s a protest where everybody is standing together. Every single person is going to stand against these killers of our Constitution, these killers of our democracy. And we’re not going to back down.
I’d also like to thank everybody from civil society organisations who came, supported us. We value your support, and we love all of you.
Thank you all for coming out and defending the idea of India, the idea of the Constitution, the idea of our democracy.
I’m extremely proud of every single person who came out on the streets. Thank you.
आज के इस विरोध प्रदर्शन में शामिल होने वाले हर एक व्यक्ति का मैं दिल से धन्यवाद करना चाहता हूँ। उन करोड़ों लोगों का भी धन्यवाद, जिन्होंने दोपहर 3 बजे अपने-अपने तरीके से इस आंदोलन को समर्थन दिया। INDIA गठबंधन के नेताओं, कांग्रेस पार्टी के सभी कार्यकर्ताओं और INDIA गठबंधन के तमाम कार्यकर्ताओं का भी बहुत-बहुत धन्यवाद।
आज का दिन बेहद महत्वपूर्ण था, क्योंकि हमें सरकार को यह दिखाना था कि भारत की जनता डरने वाली नहीं है। आप हमें मारिए, धमकाइए, डराने की कोशिश कीजिए, लेकिन हम डरने वाले नहीं हैं। हम आपकी गुंडागर्दी बर्दाश्त नहीं करेंगे।
मैं सोच रहा था कि RSS के वो कायर लोग कहाँ थे, जो परसों हमारे युवा साथियों को पीट रहे थे? कहाँ थे वो लोग? आज तो मुझे उनमें से कोई दिखाई नहीं दिया।
जब हम वहाँ खड़े हैं, जब देश की जनता वहाँ खड़ी है, तो तुम बाहर क्यों नहीं आते? अपनी छोटी-छोटी गमछियाँ पहनकर क्यों नहीं बाहर आते हो और देखते हो कि क्या होता है?
क्योंकि तुम भी देश के प्रधानमंत्री की तरह सिर्फ़ गुंडागर्दी करना जानते हो। तुममें सामने आकर खड़े होने की हिम्मत नहीं है। तुम सिर्फ़ सत्ता और ताक़त के दम पर लड़ सकते हो।
इसलिए आज जो कुछ हुआ, उसे देखकर बहुत खुशी होती है। मुझे आप सभी पर गर्व है। सबने एक टीम की तरह काम किया।
जैसा कि मैंने अपनी प्रेस कॉन्फ्रेंस में कहा था, ये अलग-अलग प्रदर्शन नहीं हैं। यह एक ही आंदोलन है, जिसमें हम सब एक साथ खड़े हैं।
हममें से हर एक व्यक्ति संविधान के इन हत्यारों, हमारे लोकतंत्र को कुचलने वालों के ख़िलाफ़ खड़ा होगा। और हम एक कदम भी पीछे नहीं हटेंगे।
मैं उन सभी सिविल सोसाइटी संगठनों का भी दिल से धन्यवाद करना चाहता हूँ, जो आज हमारे साथ आए और जिन्होंने हमारा समर्थन किया। आपके समर्थन की हम कद्र करते हैं। हम आप सभी से मोहब्बत करते हैं।
भारत की सोच, हमारे संविधान के विचार और हमारे लोकतंत्र की रक्षा के लिए आज सड़कों पर उतरने वाले हर व्यक्ति का धन्यवाद।
मुझे उन सभी लोगों पर बेहद गर्व है, जो आज सड़कों पर उतरे।
बहुत-बहुत धन्यवाद!
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 12, 2026
“When we are standing there and when the people of India are standing there, why don’t you come out? Why don’t you wear your little scarves and come out and see what happens?” Gandhi taunted.
Calling them “bullies”, Gandhi said such people could only use power to fight and could not stand up to a united public.
He said he was encouraged by the scale and unity of the protest, stressing that there were no “parallel protests” but a single mobilisation in which the INDIA bloc, Congress workers, civil society groups and ordinary citizens were standing together.
“Every single person is going to stand against these killers of our Constitution, these killers of our democracy. And we’re not going to back down,” Gandhi said.
He thanked civil society organisations for their support and praised protesters for coming out to defend what he described as “the idea of India, the idea of the Constitution, the idea of our democracy.”
“I’m extremely proud of every single person who came out on the streets,” he said.
