‘Modi will pay for crimes against the country’: Rahul Gandhi in Chennai

• Rahul Gandhi told students in Chennai that those responsible for undermining democracy would be brought to justice.

• He accused the Modi government of attacking Tamil culture, language and history, and targeting Tamil Nadu through the delimitation proposal.

• Speaking at the sixth ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme, he linked democracy and progress to the freedom to question those in power.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday told students that those responsible for undermining democracy would be brought to justice, as he accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government of attacking constitutional freedoms and Tamil Nadu’s cultural identity.

Speaking at the sixth edition of the Congress’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ youth outreach programme, presented in Tamil as ‘Maanavargalin Kural’, Gandhi urged students not to be afraid of questioning those in authority.

“You have nothing to fear; those who destroyed democracy will be brought to justice,” the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha said.

Escalating his criticism of the prime minister, Gandhi said the opposition would ensure that Modi answered for what he described as “crimes” against the country.

He claimed that Modi was “fighting for survival” and that growing discontent among students, alongside the opposition’s efforts, was catching up with him.

“The problem is PM Modi does not understand that the game is over,” Gandhi said.

Referring to the protests in Delhi, Gandhi alleged that the capital had been shut down and that police and people he described as BJP “goondas” had beaten students.

He placed the freedom to question at the centre of his address, arguing that curiosity was essential to both progress and democracy. He accused Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of weakening that foundation.

The Constitution, Gandhi said, protected citizens’ right to ask questions, while their vote gave them the means to demand answers from those in power.

Turning to Tamil Nadu, he alleged that the state was being targeted through the delimitation proposal and described the wider political situation as a “full-scale attack” on Tamil culture, language and history.

He said the Congress would not allow Modi to undermine the state’s identity.

The student interaction formed part of the party’s continuing youth outreach, providing a platform for young people to raise concerns and engage directly with Gandhi.

Ahead of the event, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president Manickam Tagore had said between 10,000 and 20,000 students were expected to attend. Entry was restricted to registered participants who had received QR codes.

With agency inputs