'Arrest us all, we are surrounding you': Rahul Gandhi targets PM Modi, RSS on CEC row

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), accusing them of cowardice and asserting that the opposition would continue its fight to defend the Constitution.

In a post on X, Gandhi said he had been fighting Modi and the RSS for over a decade and claimed that the ruling establishment was increasingly coming under pressure.

“I’ve been fighting Narendra Modi and the RSS for over a decade now. I understand them like you would understand your opponent - inside out, like the back of my hand. The core characteristic of these people is cowardice,” he said.


Targeting Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Gandhi said, “Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Mohan Bhagwat, Gyanesh Kumar and Ajit Doval, the villains of this story, are slowly finding the space closing around them. We are closing that space.”

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Gandhi challenged the government to deploy more police personnel and arrest opposition leaders and young protesters, asserting that the agitation would not be called off.

“Mr. Modi, do whatever you want. Call out all the police: 10,000, 20,000, 50,000, whatever you want. Arrest all the leaders. Arrest all the young people. Arrest us all,” he said.

“We are surrounding you, and we are not going to back down. Mark my words: we already have the information we need,” Gandhi added.

Reiterating his commitment to defending the Constitution and protecting people's voices, the Congress leader said, “We are going to defend our Constitution. We are going to protect the voice of the Indian people. And we are going to ensure that what was done to India over the last 10-15 years will never, ever be done again.”

Addressing young people participating in protests, Gandhi said he was proud of them and urged them to continue their agitation.

“Youth of India, I am proud of you. Keep protesting. We are standing with you,” he said.

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Gandhi added that the Congress would work to defeat the current regime and those he accused of attacking the Constitution.

“We are going to ensure that this regime and the people who have attacked our Constitution are defeated,” he said.

The remarks come amid escalating protests by the Opposition and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. The Opposition has demanded Kumar’s resignation, with Rahul Gandhi announcing plans for a protest at Jantar Mantar after around 300 MPs were reportedly denied permission to demonstrate at the CEC’s office. The CJP had also planned a protest at Jantar Mantar on October 10, but Delhi Police denied permission, citing short notice and concerns over public safety, law and order and traffic regulation.