Police lathi-charging Cockroach Janta Party supporters during a protest march in New Delhi on Monday.

| Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the police action against protesting students, alleging that they were being treated as “enemies”. The party described the police action as “deeply condemnable” and said it reflected Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s authoritarianism. “They are lathi-charging our children, and tear gas shells are being fired. It seems that instead of fixing the education system and examination system, Modi ji has directly declared war on the country’s youth. The youth will by no means tolerate Modi ji’s arrogance,” AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal stated in a post on X. Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia claimed that the protest signalled growing opposition to the BJP government. “PM Modi, your barricades will not be able to stop the youth today. On one side stand batons, guns, and the arrogance of power; on the other are chants of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’. Remember, PM Modi, oppression never lasts forever. The end of your tyranny is now certain,” he stated in a post on X. Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters, AAP MP Sanjay Singh alleged that young people protesting against paper leaks were chased, beaten and subjected to tear gas shelling. “In the national capital, young people are being treated like citizens of an enemy country. The arrogance of power never lasts forever, and PM Modi must now understand that the youth have awakened. What we witnessed today is a clear message to the Prime Minister. If he does not listen to the demands of the youth, they will uproot his government,” he said. Mr. Singh said several AAP leaders and workers participated in the protest and that the party had supported the protesters’ demands. Former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi said history had shown that whenever a dictator or government became this arrogant, its end had been inevitable. “If the demands of the lakhs of young people now on the streets were ignored, those very youth would bring an end to the government’s authoritarianism,” she said. Published - July 21, 2026 01:13 am IST