Calling the ruling establishment’s defining trait “cowardice”, Rahul Gandhi challenged the Modi government to deploy thousands of police personnel and arrest opposition leaders and young protesters, vowing to defend the Constitution and defeat what he described as an assault on democracy.
BY PC Bureau
October 10: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling establishment in a video message, accusing them of undermining the Constitution and declaring that the opposition will not retreat in the face of police action against protesters.
Gandhi, a long-time critic of Modi and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), described “cowardice” as a defining characteristic of the leadership. He named Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval as the “villains of this story”.
Claiming that “the space is closing around them”, Gandhi said opposition forces were tightening the pressure on the ruling establishment.
Addressing Modi directly, he challenged the government to deploy 10,000, 20,000 or even 50,000 police personnel and arrest opposition leaders, young protesters and others resisting its actions.
“We are surrounding you, and we are not going to back down,” Gandhi declared, adding that “we already have the information we need”.
He pledged to defend the Constitution, protect the voice of the Indian people and ensure that what had happened to India over the past 10–15 years was never repeated.
Praising young protesters, Gandhi said: “Youth of India, I am proud of you. Keep protesting. We are standing with you.”
He concluded by vowing to defeat what he described as a regime and its supporters who had attacked the Constitution.
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.
The core characteristic of these people is cowardice.
Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Mohan Bhagwat, Gyanesh Kumar and Ajit Doval, the villains of this story, are slowly finding the space closing around them. We are closing that space.
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.
We are surrounding you, and we are not going to back down. Mark my words: we already have the information we need.
We are going to defend our Constitution. We are going to protect the voice of the Indian people. And we are going to ensure that what was done to India over the last 10-15 years will never, ever be done again.
Youth of India, I am proud of you. Keep protesting. We are standing with you.
We are going to ensure that this regime and the people who have attacked our Constitution are defeated.
मैं नरेंद्र मोदी, RSS और इनसे जुड़े लोगों के ख़िलाफ़ एक दशक से भी ज़्यादा समय से लड़ रहा हूँ। मैं अपने विरोधियों को उतनी अच्छी तरह समझता हूँ, जितना कोई भी अपने प्रतिद्वंद्वी को समझता है। मैं इन्हें अंदर तक जानता हूँ, इनकी हर चाल से वाक़िफ़ हूँ।
इन लोगों की सबसे बड़ी पहचान है – कायरता।
नरेंद्र मोदी, अमित शाह, मोहन भागवत, ज्ञानेश कुमार, अजीत डोभाल – इस कहानी के खलनायक – अब धीरे-धीरे घिरते जा रहे हैं। इनके चारों तरफ़ से दायरा सिमट रहा है।
जो करना है, कर लीजिए। जितनी पुलिस बुलानी है, बुला लीजिए – 10 हज़ार, 20 हज़ार, 50 हज़ार, जितनी चाहें बुला लीजिए।
सारे नेताओं को गिरफ़्तार कर लीजिए। सारे युवाओं को गिरफ़्तार कर लीजिए। हम सबको गिरफ़्तार कर लीजिए।
घबराइये मत – हम आपको चारों तरफ़ से घेर रहे हैं, और हम पीछे हटने वाले नहीं हैं।
मेरी बात याद रखिए – हमें जो जानकारी चाहिए, वह हमारे पास पहले से है।हम अपने संविधान की रक्षा करेंगे। हम हिंदुस्तान की जनता की आवाज़ की हिफ़ाज़त करेंगे। और हम यह सुनिश्चित करेंगे कि पिछले 10-15 सालों में हिंदुस्तान के साथ जो हुआ है, वह दोबारा कभी, किसी भी सूरत में न हो।
हिंदुस्तान के युवाओं, मुझे आप पर गर्व है। अपना विरोध जारी रखिए। हम आपके साथ खड़े हैं।
हम यह सुनिश्चित करेंगे कि इस सरकार और हमारे संविधान पर हमला करने वालों को शिकस्त मिले।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 10, 2026
READ: Journalists Detained, Phones Seized as Delhi Police Tramples Press Freedom
Priyanka Gandhi accuses government of ‘laying siege’ to Delhi
Separately, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accused the government of roughing up and illegally detaining 254 MPs, violating their basic constitutional rights, and targeting other opposition protesters.
She alleged that the national capital had effectively been placed under siege, with barricades and checkpoints restricting movement. She also accused the authorities of disrupting public transport and internet access while detaining young men and women exercising their constitutional right to protest.
Priyanka Gandhi claimed that the government had “cheated the elections with the collusion of the Election Commission” and was frightened that the legitimacy of its mandate was being exposed.
“India is not a democracy anymore. It is a dictatorship being run by Mr Narendra Modi and Mr Amit Shah,” she declared.
She further accused those allegedly collaborating with the government to undermine democracy of committing “treason against the nation”.
The remarks come amid escalating tensions between the BJP-led government and opposition parties over allegations of electoral irregularities, restrictions on protests and the independence of constitutional institutions.
The government has rejected allegations that it is undermining democratic institutions, while the Election Commission has denied charges of collusion or electoral irregularities.
