Day is not far: Rahul Gandhi warns BJP over suppressing youth voices

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the Bihar government over alleged police brutality against protesting students, including claims of gunfire and injuries. He accused the government of avoiding responsibility and warned the BJP that regimes suppressing youth voices eventually have to answer to the people

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said the BJP should remember that any regime that suppresses the voice of youngsters eventually has to answer to the people, and claimed that day is not far off.

The leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha said this after meeting students and youngsters from Bihar who endured “horrific police brutality” for raising their voices against alleged irregularities in the examination system.

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“Police lathis as well as gunfire from AK-47 and pistols left many students injured. A young man aspiring to serve the country in the Army had his leg battered by an AK-47 bullet — and with it, his life-long dream was also shattered,” Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X.

These young people were merely demanding fair opportunities, a transparent examination system and their rights, he added. What was the need to use lathis and bullets in response to such demands, the Congress leader asked.

“The government cannot absolve itself of responsibility for such extreme brutality by merely blaming a few low-ranking officials. This action is either the result of orders from above or a sign of the administration’s utter failure,” he said.

“No matter what the Bihar government does, I stand with these young people. I am ready to provide them with every possible assistance,” Gandhi said. “The BJP should remember: any regime that suppresses the voice of the youth eventually has to answer to the people. That day is not far off,” he further said.

Patna witnessed a pitched battle between job aspirants and police last month as demonstrators tried to march to the chief minister’s residence demanding a single-tier teacher job exam and a transparent recruitment process. The students’ protest in Bihar, which began in the first week of August, has received support from opposition leaders of various hues, including RJD’s working president Tejashwi Yadav.