​​​​​​​New Delhi, October 10: Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Saturday challenged BJP government to arrest all those participating in protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, asserting that the Opposition would not retreat from its fight to defend the Constitution and protect the voice of the Indian people.

Expressing solidarity with the protesting youth, Gandhi urged them to continue their demonstrations, declaring that the Opposition would stand firmly with them in their fight against the government.

In a post on X, Gandhi said he had been confronting Prime Minister Modi and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for more than a decade and claimed to understand their political strategies thoroughly. He described the BJP leadership as increasingly constrained by the Opposition’s efforts.

“The core characteristic of these people is cowardice,” Gandhi said, naming Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval among those he accused of being on the defensive.

Issuing a direct challenge to the Prime Minister, Gandhi said the government could deploy any number of police personnel and arrest opposition leaders and young protesters, but such action would not deter their movement.

“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.

Gandhi further asserted that the Opposition was determined to continue its campaign, claiming it already possessed the information needed to pursue its fight. He vowed to defend the Constitution, safeguard the voice of the people and ensure that what he described as the damage inflicted on India over the past 10 to 15 years would not be repeated.

Addressing the youth directly, Gandhi praised their participation in the protests and assured them of the Opposition’s support. He said the movement would continue until the government and those he accused of attacking the Constitution were defeated.

Meanwhile, around 1,000 protesters had been detained across the national capital while attempting to march towards Jantar Mantar for a protest led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), according to Delhi Police sources on Saturday.

The demonstrators were demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The detentions came amid escalating political tensions surrounding the protests and the Opposition’s criticism of the Election Commission.