'This is India, not North Korea': Rahul slams PM over action against Youth Congress members
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday strongly criticised the police action against his party's youth wing activists over the "shirtless protest", drawing a sharp parallel between Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government and the authoritarian regime in North Korea.
"This is India, not North Korea," Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said in a post in Hindi on X and asserted that peaceful protest is the soul of democracy and not a crime.
He said the world's largest democracy is being slowly pushed in a direction where dissent is labelled as treason and asking questions is called a conspiracy.
When those in power start seeing themselves as the nation and dissent as the enemy -- that is when democracy dies, Gandhi said.
"In today's India, under the rule of a compromised PM, peaceful protest has been turned into the biggest crime. The world's largest democracy is being slowly pushed in a direction where dissent is labelled as treason and asking questions is called a conspiracy," the former Congress chief said.
"Think about it, no matter the issue, if you raise your voice against those in power through constitutional means, then batons, lawsuits, and jail are almost a certainty," he said.
Youth tormented by paper leaks raised their voices for their future and were met with blows from batons, he claimed.
"The country's proud women wrestlers demanded a fair investigation into serious allegations against a powerful BJP leader. Their cries were defamed, their movement crushed, and they were forcibly removed from the streets.
"A peaceful demonstration took place at India Gate in support of a rape victim. The demand for justice was deemed an inconvenience to the system and dispersed," Gandhi said.
When the Youth Congress peacefully protested against a US Trade deal harmful to the country, they were branded "anti-national" and arrested, he said.
When ordinary people stood up against poisonous air, even concerns for the environment were dismissed as "politics" and suppressed, Gandhi said, adding that when farmers protested for their rights, they too were labelled anti-national.
"Tear gas, rubber bullets, water cannons, and batons -- these became the means of dialogue. When tribals stood up for their rights to water, forests, and land, suspicion was cast upon them too -- as if demanding one's rights is a crime. What kind of democracy is this, where a Compromised PM fears questions? Where crushing dissent is becoming the nature of governance?" he said.
Asking questions is not democracy's weakness, it is its strength, he said.
"Democracy grows stronger when the government listens to criticism, responds, and remains accountable. Modi ji, this is India, not North Korea. When those in power start seeing themselves as the nation and dissent as the enemy -- that is when democracy dies," Gandhi said.
His remarks came after a high-voltage standoff between the police teams of Delhi and Shimla came to an end following a dramatic 24 hours on Thursday morning, after the Delhi Police team was finally cleared to head back to the national capital along with the three Youth Congress activists arrested in connection with the "shirtless protest" at the AI Summit.
The "shirtless protest" at Bharat Mandapam on February 20 prompted a significant security response, with police earlier invoking charges including rioting and promoting enmity under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) president, Uday Bhanu Chib, and former national spokesperson, Bhudev Sharma, were arrested in connection with the case on Tuesday. Both were subsequently produced before a Delhi court and remanded to police custody for interrogation.
According to the Delhi Police, a total of 11 people have been arrested so far.
On Saturday midnight, Delhi Police raided Himachal Sadan in the national capital amid reports that IYC workers who had participated in the protest were provided accommodation there.
आज भारत में Compromised PM के राज में शांतिपूर्ण विरोध करना ही सबसे बड़ा “अपराध” बना दिया गया है।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 26, 2026
दुनिया के सबसे बड़े लोकतंत्र को धीरे-धीरे ऐसी दिशा में धकेला जा रहा है, जहां असहमति को देशद्रोह और सवाल पूछने को साज़िश बताया जाता है।
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Hubballi: Gym trainer assaulted; police say clash due to personal reasons
Hubballi: A gym trainer was allegedly assaulted by a group of people following accusations of sexual assault and ‘love jihad’, even as both families involved in the case traded serious allegations.
According to police, a group of individuals went to the residence of Sameer Mulla, a resident of Vijayanagar, and questioned him over his friendship with a woman he had met at a gym. The situation escalated into a clash, during which he was allegedly dragged away and assaulted. He sustained minor injuries and was admitted to KIMS hospital.
N. Shashikumar said that after this incident, members from Sameer’s side went to the woman’s house, leading to another clash in which one person was injured. “It was wrong for groups to go near houses. We will take necessary legal action,” he said, adding that the incident appears to have arisen from personal reasons. Police have taken some individuals into custody and are investigating the matter.
Sameer Mulla was reportedly thrashed by a group of Sangh Parivar activists and later handed over to police at the Old Hubballi Police Station after relatives of the woman and members of Hindu organisations gathered at his residence in Rajnagar.
The woman’s family alleged assault and threats from Sameer’s relatives at their Vikas Nagar residence.
Meanwhile, Sameer’s family denied the allegations and accused the woman’s relatives and others of assaulting and kidnapping him. His sister said the two had been in a relationship for three years and that the allegations were baseless.
Police said statements from both sides have been recorded, and a detailed investigation is underway. Sameer remains hospitalised, and appropriate legal action will be taken based on findings.
In a video statement shared on social media, the 20-year-old woman alleged that Sameer had given her an intoxicant, recorded videos without her consent, and sexually assaulted her. She lodged a complaint alleging rape and blackmail, which police are investigating.
In another video, Sameer denied the allegations, claiming the video was recorded with consent and that the accusations were made under pressure.
Former Hubballi-Dharwad Urban Development Authority (HDUDA) chairman Nagesh Kalburgi termed the incident a serious matter and urged police to take strict action.
Police said the case involves multiple complaints from both sides, and further investigation is underway.
