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EYE ON INDIA AUGUST 28, 2026 | The Indian Eye 8

PARLIAMENT TO PAVEMENT

Why Rahul Gandhi is using street-fighting

tactics against the Govt

By sitting at a police station for nearly eight hours, Rahul Gandhi turned a demand for

an FIR into a larger political confrontation — and reinforced his emerging image as an
opposition leader willing to take the fight to the street

OUR BUREAU the people of the country expect from
him,” arguing that the Leader of the
NEW DELHI
Opposition’s job is “to hold the gov-
ahul Gandhi appears to have ernment accountable and make the
discovered a political language government answerable.”
Rthat suits him increasingly Lochav’s own account strength-
well: confrontation. ened that narrative. “Let’s meet to-
On Friday, the Leader of the Op- morrow; I will go and get your FIR
position in the Lok Sabha walked into filed,” he quoted Gandhi as telling
the Parliament Street Police Station him after learning that his complaint
with student protester Sahil Lochav had not been registered. Lochav said
and several Congress leaders. He the FIR might not have been regis-
stayed there for nearly eight hours, tered without Gandhi’s intervention.
refusing to leave until Delhi Police But the BJP sees precisely the
registered an FIR over Lochav’s al- opposite. Union Minister JP Nadda
legation that pellet guns were used called the demonstration “cheap, at-
against him during a July 20 protest. tention-seeking politics” and “cam-
When the FIR was finally regis- era-centric drama,” arguing that the
tered, Gandhi described it as “the first Supreme Court had already constitut-
step towards justice.” ed a five-member committee to inves-
“It has been a month since he tigate the July 20 incident.
was hit by that bullet. Pellets are still BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad
lodged in his body; three are in his accused Gandhi of “politics of an-
eye, and he cannot see out of it. Three archy”, while Giriraj Singh said the
or four are near his heart. A grave Congress leader was attempting to
injustice has been done to this young “take the law into their own hands.”
man,” Gandhi said. The criticism highlights the polit-
The episode captures a changing ical gamble Gandhi is taking. A street
Rahul Gandhi. Increasingly, he is not protest can create immediacy and
content with raising an issue in Parlia- emotional connection, but opponents
ment or holding a press conference. can portray the same action as theatre.
He is prepared to physically enter the Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi and Sahil Lochav show the FIR copy after Delhi Police registered an Yet Gandhi appears willing to
arena of confrontation and remain FIR on Lochav’s complaint as he had suffered pellet gun injuries during the Jantar Mantar students’ take that risk. The larger investiga-
there until he gets a response. tion will determine what actually
That is the street-fighter side of protest, in New Delhi on Friday. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi also present (@INCIndia X/ANI Photo) happened during the July 20 protest.
Gandhi. “We have been here all this The Supreme Court has appointed a
time — it is now nearly a quarter to too, but the brakes on justice were be- being registered. Congress leader five-member High-Powered Expert
seven — and only now has the FIR ing applied from the top,” Gandhi said. Supriya Shrinate was even more em- Committee to examine allegations
been filed,” he said, questioning The Congress immediately phatic: “Jhukti hai duniya, jhukane of excessive force by police and vio-
why a process that should have been turned the protest into a symbol of wala chahiye.” lence by protesters, including claims
straightforward had taken so long. resistance. The symbolism matters for Gandhi. concerning the treatment of women
Gandhi went further, alleging that Congress president Mallikarjun For much of his political career, protesters.
the delay was coming from the top. Kharge asked, “What exactly is Amit he was portrayed by opponents as a Politically, however, Gandhi
“The final approval — the ulti- Shah hiding?” He alleged that the politician who lacked the aggression seems to have already made his point.
mate ‘okay’ — had to come from the government had failed to explain who and staying power necessary for In- In doing so, Rahul Gandhi is slowly
Home Secretary and Amit Shah him- ordered the alleged use of pellet guns dia’s rough-and-tumble politics. His building a new political identity — not
self. Only then was the FIR finally is- against students. latest actions suggest that he is con- simply as Parliament’s leading critic
sued. So, you can understand who was Jairam Ramesh called it a victory sciously trying to shed that image. of the government, but as a politician
holding up the FIR,” he alleged. for persistence, saying it was Gandhi’s His supporters see the change prepared to take the battle outside
“These police officers wanted to “sheer persistence and perseverance” as political maturity. Omar Abdullah Parliament and stand with those who
register it; the others wanted to do it during his dharna that led to the FIR said Gandhi was “doing exactly what believe the system has failed them.

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