Published Jul 22, 2026 | 5:17 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 22, 2026 | 6:15 PM
Rahul Gandhi addresses a press conference highlighting police action against CJP protesters. (Photo| Screenshot/ YouTube)
Synopsis: Rahul Gandhi held a press conference highlighting the police violence against CJP protesters. He played a compilation of the visuals purportedly showing police violence against protesters and questioned the government. He also criticised the government over the repeated irregularities in the examinations.
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday, 22 July, further intensified the Opposition protest against the Centre and held a press conference highlighting the police violence against the CJP protesters and the irregularities in the country’s examination system.
Gandhi opened his presser by playing a compilation of visuals from the police crackdown on protesters during a Parliament march called by the Cockroach Janata Party on Monday, 20, July.
The visuals, which include videos that have already been widely circulated on social media, show police personnel slapping a woman protester and hitting another’s private parts with a baton. It also shows security forces aiming guns at the protesters and wounds caused from pellet firing.
Questioning the police action, which he had earlier described as “brutal,” Rahul Gandhi asked why the students of the country were being treated like this.
“The question is why is this happening to students. What exactly have they done? Thousands of them. To have security forces aiming weapons at them. What have they done? They are protesting peacefully. They are asking for what this country owes them,” Gandhi said.
Also Read: ‘Don’t waste our time’: SC refuses urgent hearing of plea against police crackdown on CJP protesters
He alleged that the country’s education system, which used to be one of the best, has become rigged, while also highlighting the immense stress it caused to the students.
“They are saying we deserve a fair education system. Children have committed suicide. They go through unlimited stress, and they are told at the last minute that the paper is leaked. This is a deep problem for the country. It is very clear to everybody that our education system, which was known to be one of the best, is today rigged,” he said.
Elaborating on the irregularities in the country’s examination system, Gandhi called it “pure theft.”
Pointing out that 152 paper leaks have happened over the last decade, Gandhi said, “If you do math, it is one a month… They are told we don’t care (by govt). 7.5 crore students and their families are affected by this. They are middle-class families who put their hard-earned money into this. The best part is that there have been zero convictions in the last 10 years. Zero…”
He also stated that the system is not just “rigged” but also made unaffordable for the students.
Also Read: Opposition MPs, dressed in black, protest outside Parliament even as Centre agrees for NEET debate
Further criticising the government, Gandhi said India’s youth had very limited opportunities, forcing them to restrict themselves to government jobs.
“After you clear an exam and become something, then you are told that jobs are closed. Manufacturing is closed, entrepreneurship is closed; take a look at who gets money from banks. Corporate jobs are being destroyed by AI. The only choice is government jobs. And then it is made unbelievably expensive. We are in 100% agreement with what students are saying,” he said.
Justifying the student protests, Gandhi reiterated their three key demands: Resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, who has allegedly “failed” as an education minister; “every single person who raised their finger against students —those who ordered and executed it– to be held accountable” and an apology from the “man who is running this system,” referring to the prime minister.
He claimed that the BJP-led government has panicked after the student-led protests.
Responding to a question on the police action against Congress parliamentarians including him on Tuesday, Gandhi said, “How I was treated yesterday, I don’t care about it. The focus has to be on students, how they were treated… Do whatever you want to me. Do it five times against me. I don’t mind it. In fact, I like it because I learn from it.”
“I am used to it. It is a huge honour for me to stand with the people. I am happy to take many more punches,” he added.
He also claimed that some of the police personnel secretly expressed to him their support for the student movement.
“The cops who were taking me away yesterday were whispering in my ear that I should remove this government. One was from Haryana and Rajasthan. Even police men are not happy with what is happening. They can see their children in this,” he said.
Gandhi also reiterated the Opposition’s ‘unconditional’ support to the student’s protests.
The Opposition has been protesting inside and outside the Parliament demanding government accountability on the examination irregularities and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The protest took a crucial turn on Tuesday, 21 July, when Opposition MPs, led by Rahul Gandhi marched to the residence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and staged a sit-in.
After two hours, the parliamentarians were forcibly removed from the site, sparking nationwide protests and criticism.
(Compiled by Fayisa CA)
