New Delhi [India], July 21 (ANI): Congress MPs Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, along with several other leaders, were released from detention after Delhi Police took action against the party’s protest at Lok Kalyan Marg, where they demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and several opposition leaders left Chhatrasal Stadium, where they had been taken into detention by police. Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi reached Mandir Marg Police Station, where Priyanka Gandhi had been detained.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, KC Venugopal and Pawan Khera participated in the protest at Lok Kalyan Marg. Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan and Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar also joined the demonstration.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official residence is located on Lok Kalyan Marg.
Amid speculation that the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) might join the NDA—a claim denied by the party—MP Supriya Sule also participated in the Congress protest.
Congress leaders said they were not permitted to raise the issue in Parliament and therefore staged a protest near the Prime Minister’s residence against the police action on the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP)’s ‘Sansad Chalo’ protest on Monday.
In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi said they had marched to the Prime Minister’s residence “to demand answers from him for the brutalities against young students yesterday.”
“The Government doesn’t want to take any accountability, or does it want to have a debate on it in Parliament. PM and HM must resign for destroying the future of India’s youth,” he wrote.
However, Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh said he met Rahul Gandhi and alleged that the Congress leader changed his stand after the government agreed to hold a parliamentary discussion on the NEET-UG examination.
Speaking to ANI, Singh claimed Rahul Gandhi initially sought only a discussion in Parliament, but after receiving the government’s assurance, also demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal said the opposition had already submitted notices seeking a discussion in Parliament, but no debate had been scheduled.
“The government showed their brutality yesterday. Today, they have repeated this brutality… They are completely anti-democratic. Jitendra Singh told us to give a notice, and then they will think about a discussion, which we don’t want to. We gave a notice yesterday, and today too. Now these are all bogus things,” Venugopal said.
Opposition leaders strongly criticised the detention of Congress leaders. Rahul Gandhi said the “fight for justice for students” would continue despite pressure from the Centre.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the police action reflected the government’s “fear.” He also targeted Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah over the alleged “lathi-charge” on protesters the previous day.
In a post on X, Kharge said the government had ruined the education system, failed to protect students from repeated examination paper leaks, and responded to student protests with police action instead of accountability.
He further alleged that Rahul Gandhi and other MPs had been forcibly removed while protesting near the Prime Minister’s residence.
“What kind of democracy is this?” Kharge asked.
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also criticised Union Home Minister Amit Shah, posting on X: “Tanashahi ka dusra naam hai amitshahi (Amit Shah is another name for dictatorship).”
Congress leader Pawan Khera demanded apologies from both Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah.
“Our demands are very clear: we will not allow lathi charge against students, nor will we allow cases to be filed against them. We will not let Dharmendra Pradhan remain in his post. The Home Minister must apologise and resign, and the Prime Minister must apologise,” Khera said in a video message.
Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah condemned the detention of opposition leaders, saying such actions did not reflect the conduct of a confident government.
Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said the protest would continue until students received justice.
“It is unfortunate that Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were detained. We are all fighting for the cause of the students of this country. We want justice. We want this to be discussed in Parliament. More than 100 MPs are here. No one is afraid of being arrested. This movement will continue till justice is given,” he told ANI.
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy described the detention of Congress leaders as “an assault on the democratic right to protest.”
“The entire Congress family and country is firmly with our youth who are demanding accountability from the Central government. You can throw us in jail, you can try to suppress us, but you cannot suppress the anger of millions of young Indians fighting for justice and accountability,” he posted on X.
Congress leader Sachin Pilot said the manner in which Rahul Gandhi was detained did not suit a democracy.
“The Congress Party, Rahul Gandhi, and the whole country will get justice for the students no matter what. The government should give up its stubbornness,” he said.
Congress leader Ghulam Ahmed Mir termed the police action “harassment.”
“The Leader of the Opposition was forcibly dragged away… This amounts to harassment. However, neither the Congress party nor the youth of the country will be intimidated by this,” he said.
Congress MP Rajeev Shukla reiterated that the party continued to demand the resignation of the Education Minister and a discussion in Parliament.
Andhra Pradesh Congress chief YS Sharmila criticised the alleged “manhandling” of Priyanka Gandhi.
“If an elected Member of Parliament like Priyanka Gandhi ji can be ‘man’-handled in broad daylight, it is a chilling reminder of how draconian the Modi regime has become. When those elected by the people are treated with such contempt, no citizen’s dignity is safe,” she posted on X.
As Akhilesh Yadav and Supriya Sule joined the protest, Purnea MP Rajesh Ranjan, also known as Pappu Yadav, described their participation as a sign of opposition unity.
Congress leader Abhishek Dutt questioned why Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had not resigned, accusing the government of failing to provide employment while presiding over repeated examination paper leaks.
Congress workers in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, and Jharkhand also staged protests following the detention of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi.
Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (JKPDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti supported the Congress and described the arrests as “another blot on India’s democracy.”
“The shameful arrest of Rahul Gandhi & Priyanka Gandhi is yet another blot on India’s democracy. A government that fears questions inevitably resorts to silencing its critics… Democracy is being strangled by brute force,” she wrote on X.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) defended the police action, saying the protest was inappropriate because it had been organised without permission.
BJP MP Sambit Patra said that while protests are part of democracy, they must be conducted in designated areas and in accordance with established rules.
He noted that the Prime Minister’s residence is a high-security zone with strict security protocols.
Patra said that gathering outside the Prime Minister’s residence without permission created potential security risks and that Rahul Gandhi, as Leader of the Opposition, should have acted responsibly.
“No one is saying that protests or sit-ins should not take place; however, there are established ways and places for conducting them,” Patra said.
The confrontation followed the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP)’s ‘Sansad Chalo’ protest on Monday, which was met with police action in central Delhi. (ANI)
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