Kejriwal denounces Modi government for violent police crackdown on student protest

On Tuesday, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal launched a scathing tirade against the Modi‑led centre, alleging that the police had unleashed an almost unheard‑of level of violence on a peaceful student march in Delhi.

Speaking to reporters, Kejriwal said the crackdown was “unprecedented” and suggested the government was intent on silencing dissent at any cost. “The way the Modi government attacked our nation’s children yesterday – I have never seen anything like it in living memory,” he said, his voice heavy with frustration.

He pointed to videos circulating on social media, where young men and women appear to be pleading with folded hands while police batons rain down on them. “These are unarmed students. They offered no resistance. Yet the police kept beating them,” Kejriwal claimed, adding that many of the clips showed the youngsters being dragged away.

Adding another layer of concern, the AAP leader mentioned that several parents had taken to social platforms, saying their children were suddenly missing after the protest. “We are hearing that police may have taken some of them, but we have no information on where they are,” he said, urging the authorities to come clean.

In a stark historical comparison, Kejriwal said the episode reminded him of the infamous Jallianwala Bagh massacre, even suggesting that the current “brutality” eclipsed actions by General Dyer. “It feels as if the Prime Minister has outdone the British in their own playbook,” he remarked, a remark that quickly drew both applause and criticism.

The protest itself, organised by the Confederation of Joint Parties (CJP), turned chaotic as Delhi police reported more than 118 officers injured, along with around 60 demonstrators. According to police statements, some protesters tossed stones, tried to breach barricades and damaged police vehicles, prompting a forceful response.

During the sit‑in, the CJP delegation met Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda, pressing for the resignation of Education Minister Pradhan, compensation for families of NEET aspirants who died, and the immediate release of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who remains under medical care at Safdarjung Hospital.

Wangchuk, who was on a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar over the NEET paper leak, continues to receive treatment. Hospital bulletins note his vitals are stable but his blood sugar remains low, and doctors have had to supplement potassium orally while refraining from IV fluids.

While the protest’s future remains uncertain, Kejriwal vowed the movement would not stop until the demanded resignations are handed in, accusing the central government of trying to “stifle the voice of the youth” with force.