Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Sunday stepped up his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, accusing them of "doling out pardons" instead of apologising to students over alleged police brutality during a protest march in the national capital on July 20.
A day after his 'Chaatron Ki Goonj' event in Prayagraj, the Congress MP demanded accountability, warning that those responsible would have to answer for the incident.
'You will have to answer for this crime': Rahul Gandhi
"'I have no way out left now' - This is what a student said to me yesterday in Prayagraj. Years of preparation, sold the family land, parents' debts, and still nothing to show for it. This defeat is not his. This is the defeat of that system which refused to reward his hard work," Rahul Gandhi said.
Further questioning the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, Rahul Gandhi said that students are the "light of the nation" and asserted that he stands with them with "full strength."
"Thirteen days have passed - not a word has come from Home Minister Amit Shah's mouth. Instead of apologizing, Modi ji is doling out pardons. Amit Shah ji, don't think for a moment that we will stop demanding accountability. Lathis and pellets rained down on children on the streets of the capital - and you didn't say a word. Whether today or tomorrow, you will have to answer for this crime. Students are the light of the nation, and I stand with them with my full strength," he added.
Youth made stuck in 'chakravyuh': Rahul Gandhi
Earlier on Saturday, Rahul Gandhi said India's youths are the country's greatest strength as he spoke about their "dard (pain), data, and daulat (wealth)" to attack the BJP and the RSS. He said the country's youth were being trapped in a 'chakravyuh', with youngsters spending lakhs and crores on educational certificates that offered no guarantee of employment.
Rahul Gandhi said your families spend crores of rupees on your education and you receive a certificate, yet that certificate fails to secure you a job. Here, exam papers get leaked. Wealthy students buy the papers.
"Data is yours, youth potential is yours, but the system has trapped you in a 'chakravyuh,'" he said.
Addressing the 'Chhatron Ki Goonj', he also asked the students not to resort to hatred or violence but advised them to change the system with love and affection. "We will never resort to hatred or violence. We will change the system with love and affection," Gandhi said, and urged the youth to follow suit. You are the power and pride of India, and when I say this, I talk about every Indian citizen," Rahul Gandhi said in Prayagraj.
Rahul Gandhi said, "Let me give you the figures: out of every 1000 young people, only 12 land a permanent job. As for your data, it is taken away from you; it is handed over to major corporations—Jio, Adani, Facebook, and Google—and you are ensnared. You are told to watch as many reels as you like, send as many WhatsApp messages as you wish, and browse or create content on Instagram. This is the addiction of the 21st century and then you are told to work for Blinkit or Uber, or to do manual labor. you can indulge in this 21st-century addiction, but you cannot get a job; you cannot find employment in this country."
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