New Delhi, 31 July—Training guns at the ruling party’s top leadership, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home minister Amit Shah of threatening Gen Z.
Underlining that the duo is “India’s past” and should be careful about how they treat the country’s future, the Leader of Opposition alleged that the Modi-led government was targeting student protesters by filing FIRs and taking down their social media accounts.
“PM Modi and Amit Shah – you cannot threaten Gen Z into silence. First, you broke their bones. Now you are filing FIRs and taking down their accounts,” Rahul Gandhi said on X.
“You are India’s past. Be careful about how you treat India’s future,” the former Congress chief said.
Rajya Sabha member and veteran Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge echoed Rahul Gandhi’s attack, accusing the Centre of reneging on its assurance that no action would be taken against students after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) called off its protest.
“Ten days ago, your government suppressed the youth with batons and pellet guns. When the students withdrew their movement, now you’re filing FIRs against them out of a sense of revenge and forcibly detaining them,” Kharge said in a post on X.
Kharge also alleged that the personal details of female protesters were being circulated online.
“The youth withdrew the movement on the condition that no action would be taken against them, and now your governments have gone back on their own word. You’re getting the youth’s social media accounts blocked, and girls are being doxxed,” he said.
For our readers benefit, doxxing means the unauthorised publication or sharing of an individual’s personal information online, often with the intent to harass, intimidate or expose the person to abuse.
Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal also said he had moved a privilege motion against Union minister of state Jitendra Singh, accusing him of misleading Parliament by claiming that “no firing took place” during the July 20 student protest
In the letter submitted to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Venugopal said the minister’s statement was “in direct contradiction to the facts on the ground”, citing Rahul Gandhi’s meeting with an alleged pellet gun victim, media reports and hospital records documenting pellet injuries.
The Congress attacks came amidst reports that a Zero FIR was registered against 25-year-old protester Ruchika Singh over remarks allegedly made against Modi during the CJP protest at Jantar Mantar on July 23.
The FIR was registered at Expressway police station in Noida following a complaint by a Ghaziabad resident.
She was booked under Sections 352 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace), 353(1) (statements conducing to public mischief) and 356(1) (defamation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Reacting to the registration of the Zero FIR, CJP national spokesperson Saurav Das criticised the police action, said, “The misuse of criminal machinery against Ruchika Singh is unacceptable. Profanity does not attract a criminal case. 50 per cent of Lok Sabha MPs have criminal cases against them, close to 100 MPs in the BJP. The Police can focus their energy towards them, not a 25-year-old! Harassment of the young must STOP immediately!” he wrote on X.
According to a media report by The Hindu, students were being summoned by Delhi Police until Thursday, despite the Centre’s assurance that cases against protesters would be withdrawn.
Congress legal cell member Rishav Ranjan said a party helpline had received around 300 calls, including about 50 from women alleging rape and death threats. Several students also claimed that police action continued despite the Supreme Court’s July 28 order against coercive measures involving protesters without criminal antecedents.
RJD Rajya Sabha member Manoj Kumar Jha also questioned the alleged police action despite the Centre’s assurance and the Supreme Court’s July 28 order.
The political confrontation came a day after Prime Minister Modi said comprehensive reforms in the education system had become necessary to tackle the menace of paper leaks and asserted there would be “no mercy” for those playing with the future of students.
In a video message on Instagram, shortly after Parliament passed a Bill to amend the anti-paper leak law, the Prime Minister said that leaks in various examinations have become a major challenge not only for students but also for the Centre and many states.
Parliament on Thursday passed The Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, to amend the 2024 anti-paper leak law by introducing stricter punishments against paper leaks.
The Bill was cleared in the Rajya Sabha with a voice vote amid a walkout by several opposition parties from the INDIA bloc.
Veteran Journalist and Political Commentator
