Look into eyes of youth who bled on streets : Kharge to PM Modi

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi to step out of his "air-conditioned ivory towers" and confront the human cost of ongoing student protests, accusing the government of meeting peaceful demonstrators with brutal force while offering nothing but empty words in return.

The sharp rebuke came hours after PM Modi vowed that anyone who jeopardizes the future of India's youth "will not be spared," and announced plans for fast-track courts to punish those responsible for paper leaks.

Kharge wasn't satisfied. In his post on X, the Congress leader said the country's education system has deteriorated under Modi's leadership and accused security forces of using lathis, pellet guns and shock batons against demonstrators. He said authorities treated protesters as if they weren't India's own children.

He challenged the prime minister directly, urging him to step outside and see the young men and women who were injured while standing up to what Kharge called an authoritarian government.

He also laid out what he described as the protesters' core demands:

1. The immediate removal of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan

2. A public apology for the crackdown on demonstrators and

3. Justice for those targeted during the protests

 

He also accused the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of exerting control over the education system, and pointed to youth unemployment figures and citing Periodic Labour Force Survey data putting the rate near 29% as evidence that opportunities for young Indians have dried up. With few private-sector jobs and shrinking permanent government positions, he asked where young people are supposed to turn.

AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal echoed the criticism, calling the prime minister's comments a hollow gesture. He said Modi is mistaken if he believes young protesters will accept anything less than Pradhan's resignation, a formal apology, and accountability for those who attacked demonstrators.

The exchange unfolded against a backdrop of sustained youth protests tied to alleged NEET paper leaks. PM Modi in his own social media post earlier Thursday, said nothing matters more than the welfare and future of the country's youth, and warned that those who harm it will face consequences.

Whether the government's promise of fast-track courts will quiet the unrest or whether Congress's demands gain traction remains to be seen as the standoff continues.

(with inputs from PTI)