This is India, not North Korea: Rahul Gandhi on Youth Congress crackdown
This is India, not North Korea: Rahul Gandhi on Youth Congress crackdown
Rahul Gandhi accuses the PM of turning peaceful protests into crimes, drawing a stark North Korea comparison as Youth Congress activists face police action.
On February 26, 2026, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi sharply criticized police action against Youth Congress activists over a shirtless protest, drawing a stark parallel with an authoritarian regime. He stated that this is India, not North Korea, and urged that peaceful protest is the soul of democracy and not a crime. Gandhi argued that in today’s India, under a compromised PM, dissent is increasingly labeled treason while asking questions is dismissed as conspiracy. He warned that whenever people in power view themselves as the nation and dissent as the enemy, democracy risks dying. He stressed that regardless of the issue, raising a voice through constitutional channels can invite baton blows, lawsuits, and jail.
Gandhi pointed to episodes where Youth Congress protesters faced police action and beatings, describing it as a crackdown on legitimate voices. He also highlighted the broader context of public outrage over accountability, including protests by wrestlers demanding a fair investigation into serious allegations against a powerful BJP leader. He claimed their cries were defamed, their movement crushed, and they were dispersed from the streets. He cited a peaceful demonstration at India Gate in support of a rape victim, which he said was deemed an inconvenience to the system and dispersed.
The former Congress president framed these events as a warning about the erosion of democratic rights and the importance of protecting dissent as a democratic norm. He called on citizens to defend the space for peaceful protest and to question actions that treat dissent as a crime, insisting that true democracy thrives on the ability to voice concerns without fear of retaliation.
