New Delhi, India – Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has sharply criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent offer of “forgiveness” to students protesting across the country, stating that the youth are in “severe pain” and deserve an apology, not forgiveness. Speaking at the launch of a book on former MP and MDMK chief Vaiko, Mr. Gandhi said students have taken to the streets demanding fairness in examinations and a functioning education system, driven by unemployment and systemic failures. “They don’t have work and are asking for fairness in exams and an education system that works,” he said.
Mr. Gandhi questioned the Prime Minister’s authority to forgive the youth, saying, “Who is he to forgive them? Where does he get this idea that he can forgive the future of India? They don’t need his forgiveness; they deserve an apology.” He linked the student protests to what he described as the RSS’s attempt to impose a single historical narrative on the country. Citing the Constitution’s description of India as a “Union of States,” he emphasized that every State has the right to express its own culture and language. “When you say Tamil Nadu, inside it is the history of the Tamil people—their pain, suffering, and happiness,” he added.
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Alleging that the RSS believes only the history “ascribed by it” matters, Mr. Gandhi said, “This is why the students are out on the streets. India will not tolerate its history being trampled upon by anybody.” The event was attended by several Opposition leaders, including former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, CPI(M) general secretary M.A. Baby, CPI general secretary D. Raja, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, and Trinamool Congress MP Sagarika Ghose. Describing Mr. Vaiko as “an inspiration for all of us,” Mr. Gandhi thanked the veteran leader for his service to the country.
