Those Shedding Crocodile Tears Over Nationalism Are Biggest Enemies Of Youth: Kharge Slams BJP

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday launched a scathing attack on the BJP after Rahul Gandhi's dharna here demanding justice for a student who suffered pellet injuries, saying those shedding "crocodile tears" over nationalism are the biggest enemies of the country's youth.

Hitting out at the government over alleged police brutality against student protesters on July 20, Kharge said Prime Minister Narendra Modi hasn't uttered a single word to this day, and Home Minister Amit Shah has kept dodging accountability.

"Those shedding crocodile tears over nationalism are, in reality, the biggest enemies of the country's youth," Kharge said in a post in Hindi on X.

His remarks came after Gandhi sat on dharna at the Parliament Street police station here and said he would not budge until an FIR is registered on a complaint by a youth who suffered pellet injuries during the CJP-led July 20 protest.

The police later gave in and said an FIR is being registered.

Gandhi, who was accompanied by the youth, 19-year-old Sahil Lochab, claimed that he was told by police officers that an FIR could not be registered as "there are orders from the top".

In his post, Kharge also said, "Amit Shah didn't show up in Parliament for 19 days. The country wasn't told who ordered the firing of pellet guns on students and why such brutality was even necessary against our youth?" "Now, Sahil, who was seriously injured by the pellets, and his mother are running around in circles with the Delhi Police to file an FIR. No Daily Diary Number, no Acknowledgment, no MLC report from AIIMS. Today, Leader of Opposition Shri Rahul Gandhi himself has gone to the police station and then to the DCP's office with Sahil and his mother. What exactly is Amit Shah hiding," Kharge asked.

There was a lathi charge on students, tear gas was fired, pellet guns were used and many youth were seriously injured, he alleged.

"Our daughters were groped, beaten with lathis and sticks. But Prime Minister Modi hasn't uttered a single word to this day, and the Home Minister has kept dodging accountability. Sahil is not alone. Shri Rahul Gandhi and the Congress Party stand with every affected youth," Kharge said.

Their FIR will be registered, their voice will not be silenced, and the fight to deliver them justice will be waged with full force, Kharge asserted and added that "Chhatron ki Goonj" will not fade.

Congress general secretary K C Venugopal also lashed out at the government over the issue, alleging that Modi and Shah have no concern for the students and have still not cared to listen to their pain.

"On the other hand, they are deliberately stalling the LoP's quest for justice, when he is out there on the streets, fighting for the students. Is it not a valid demand to ask for an FIR in such an egregious case, where Rahul ji has accompanied the victim whose body bears the evident of pellet guns," Venugopal asked.

"Without Home Minister Amit Shah's orders, the Delhi Police would not dare to turn down Rahul ji when he has himself gone to the police station demanding an FIR. Is his demand unfair? Why has Amit Shah become such an enemy of our students and the youth," he further asked.

"Today, we are seeing how Rahul ji is seen as a beacon of hope for our Gen Zs and millennial citizens. He is the voice of India's future. This is exactly what has rattled the BJP, which is taking one illegal step after another," Venugopal said.