Modi-led ‘system’ favors andhbhaktas over question-asking students, says Rahul Gandhi

The “system” that runs the country does not want students to ask questions but only andhbhaktas (blind followers), Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said in a speech to students on Saturday (19 Sep 2026). The Congress refers to BJP die-hards as andhbhakts.

Addressing the fifth ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ student interaction program in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, Mr Gandhi alleged that the ‘system’ had captured the country and was against the students and the education system. He said the “system” was controlled by a handful of powerful people, but students posed a danger to him when they raised questions.

Mr Gandhi said he had organized a ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ event in cities like Kota, Pune, Dehradun and Prayagraj, where he highlighted student issues such as paper leaks, institutional failure, infrastructure collapse and privatisation. “In Indore, we have decided to talk about the ‘system’ versus students today,” he said, addressing thousands of youth at the IDA ground in Indore.

“The system has different layers. There are six people at the top. The system is run by (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi ji. The tasks of threatening and beating students with batons with nails and shot guns are done by (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah ji; he is the enforcer,” Mr Gandhi said, showing pictures of several BJP media and film leaders and RSS media and BJP film leaders.

“The highest layer of the system”

The top tier of the alleged scheme, he said, included Mr Modi, Mr Shah, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and industrialists Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani.

The congressman further accused Mr. Doval of digitally spying on people by tapping phones and social media.

“Ajit Doval says in a casual conversation that ‘if you want to control India, you have to control 500 people’. He has intercepted India’s communications. He is tapping phones and giving information to Amit Shahji and Narendra Modi ji. Doval is sitting in my phones and yours,” he says.

Mr Gandhi also charged that RSS sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat brought ideology to the table and in return “gives millions of rupees to his organization to run educational institutions”.

He alleged that industrialist Gautam Adani was “funding” the scheme and “showing money” obtained through government contracts.

“All that money is channeled and given to BJP to market Narendra Modi ji and run the ‘system’,” he said.

“Capturing Institutions”

“Under this layer are various people who have captured every institution such as politics, business, judiciary, bureaucracy, education, media, entertainment and sports. The ‘System’ has placed its people in every institution,” he said.

“For example, the ‘system’ gave the entire cricket contract to Amit Shah’s son (Jay Shah) even though the country has many cricketers. This is how they divided all the institutions among them,” he said.

Mr Gandhi went on to say that the students posed a danger to the “system” when they questioned why institutions like the judiciary, the bureaucracy and the Election Commission were “not doing their job properly”.

“That’s why the ‘system’ doesn’t want students. It wants andhbhaktas who are against students. It prepares and promotes andhbhaktas. While students are curious, andhbhakts are delusional and live in their own world. While students talk about love and respect, andhbhakts spread hatred. While students are humble and listen to others, students are fearless and devotees are full of fear and dread. andhbhakts are cowards, while students respect women, andhbhakts are patriarchal and attack women, while students are honest, andhbhakts are dishonest and liars,” he said.

Mr. Gandhi alleged that those running the “system” did not want their children to become andhbhkts and sent them abroad to study.

He also claimed that more than one lakh schools were closed across the country and that 55% of them were in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh alone. He claimed that the Union Government’s budget allocation for education has fallen from 4.6% of total budgetary expenditure in 2014 to 2.6% in 2026.

Many students and civil service aspirants who were invited to the dais highlighted the problems they are facing in Madhya Pradesh, including delayed recruitment to government posts, holding back of government vacancies due to the OBC judge reservation enhancement case and delay in conducting nursing exams, prompting the students to protest.

The family of Arpit Jaj, an 18-year-old student from Dewas who died in a building collapse in Delhi earlier this month, also met Mr Gandhi on the dais and claimed their son died due to a “system failure”.

“It’s the cost of not having infrastructure and cutting the government’s (school) budget,” he said after meeting Jaj’s family.

Students vs devotees

Pitting the students against the ‘andhbhakts’, Mr. Gandhi said that students are the future of India and no country can become strong without them.

“We want the hope in your hearts that was broken to return quickly; you will start believing in education and the system; and the country should run on the strength of your strengths and qualities – curiosity, honesty, compassion and love,” he said.

“Students can erase the hatred and violence that is happening in the country. Only students can do it; andhbhakts can never erase it. We want an India of students, not of andhbhakts. We don’t want an India of arrogance, hatred and violence. We want to hear your voice. Never forget that you are the future of this country,” Mr. Gandhi said in his address.

Earlier on Saturday (September 19, 2026) morning, several posters appearing to mock Mr. Gandhi with words like “Jhooth Ki Goonj” appeared around Indore, adding to the list of controversies that had erupted in the run-up to the event.

This prompted Congress national general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh to claim that the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh was “terrified” by the incident and had “tried every trick in the book to stop this programme”.

Published – 19 Sep 2026 22:51 IST