Archive · 16 Aug 2026
Rahul Gandhi lauds youth courage against 'Modi's violent regime'
Some students in India were upset because exam papers were leaked before tests.
They asked the education minister to quit because of the leaks.
They held protests to make their voices heard.
The students said the police were too rough with them.
A leader named Rahul Gandhi met with the students and listened to their stories.
He recorded a video and shared it online.
In the video, he said the young people were very brave.
He especially praised the girls who said they were treated badly during the protests.
Rahul Gandhi will meet more girl students in the city of Pune on August 22.
He said the girls will speak and the whole country will listen.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi praised India's youth for courageously standing firm against what he called Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'violent regime'.
The students protested last month seeking then education minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over exam paper leaks.
Gandhi lauded the girls who faced alleged misbehavior, verbal abuse and violence from 'BJP goons'.
He shared a video of his interaction with students who alleged police brutality and harassment after a July 20 incident.
His 'Chhatron ki Goonj' event will be held in Pune on August 22, exclusively for girls.
- Who
- Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and students who protested exam paper leaks.
- What
- Gandhi praised India's youth — especially girls — for standing firm against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'violent regime' and shared students' experiences of alleged police brutality and harassment.
- When
- Reported August 16; protests and the police incident occurred on July 20, and Gandhi met the students earlier in August.
- Where
- New Delhi, where Gandhi met the students, and Mumbai, where protests took place; an event is planned for Pune.
- Why
- Students demanded then education minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over paper leaks and allege police excesses against them.
Opposition and protesting students
Government and authorities
Police conduct during the July 20 protest
Opposition and protesting students
Gandhi and the students say protesters, especially girls, faced police brutality, harassment, misbehavior, verbal abuse and violence, and were even forced to apologise to the prime minister.
Government and authorities
Authorities, as described in the article, responded with police action on July 20 and required students to apologise to the prime minister rather than accept their demand for the education minister's resignation.
- Person at center
- Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha
- Protest demand
- Resignation of then education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over exam paper leaks
- Alleged police incident
- July 20, when students allegedly faced police excesses during protests
- Press conference with students
- August 5
- Upcoming event
- 'Chhatron ki Goonj' in Pune on August 22, exclusively for girls
- Viral protester
- Model Rhiya Ahir, photographed blocking a police van in Mumbai; filed an online harassment complaint
- Report date
- August 16 (Sunday)