Chennai: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday urged the youth to “keep protesting” and challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asserting that “we are going to ensure that this regime and the people who have attacked the Constitution are defeated”.

He also expressed solidarity with the protesting youth and urged them to continue their demonstrations.

Gandhi, who is in Chennai for his Chhatron Ki Goonj event, also said the “core characteristic” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is “cowardice”.

He said Prime Minister Modi, Home Minister Shah, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and National Security Advisor (NSA)Ajit Doval are slowly finding the space closing around them.

"I've been fighting Narendra Modi and the RSS for over a decade now. I understand them like you would understand your opponent -- inside out, like the back of my hand," Gandhi said on X.

"Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Mohan Bhagwat, Gyanesh Kumar and Ajit Doval, the villains of this story, are slowly finding the space closing around them. We are closing that space," he said.

"Mr. Modi, do whatever you want. Call out all the police: 10,000, 20,000, 50,000, whatever you want. Arrest all the leaders. Arrest all the young people. Arrest us all. We are surrounding you, and we are not going to back down," Gandhi said.

"Mark my words: we already have the information we need. We are going to defend our Constitution. We are going to protect the voice of the Indian people. And we are going to ensure that what was done to India over the last 10-15 years will never, ever be done again," he said.

Gandhi said he was proud of the youth of India. He urged them to keep protesting and asserted that "we are standing with you".

Gandhi's remarks come amid the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Saturday.

Meanwhile, around 3,000 protesters have been detained across the national capital so far while attempting to march towards Jantar Mantar for a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protest demanding the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar, Delhi Police sources said on Saturday. 

Police said permission for the protest had not been granted and prohibitory orders were in force in the New Delhi area.

(With inputs from PTI & ANI)