Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and several senior opposition leaders were detained by the Delhi Police on Tuesday while attempting to stage a protest near Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official residence. The demonstration was organized to condemn the alleged police action against students during recent protests over the NEET examination controversy.
Before the protest, Rahul Gandhi appealed to citizens through social media, describing the police action against students as an attack on every Indian family. He urged supporters to join the demonstration, insisting that the voices of students seeking justice could not be ignored.
The protest drew participation from senior Congress leaders, legislators, and leaders from other opposition parties, including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. Representatives from Congress-ruled states also joined the gathering in solidarity.
According to government sources, Union Minister Jitendra Singh met the protesting leaders and requested them to withdraw from the high-security Lok Kalyan Marg area. After consulting Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Singh reportedly conveyed the government's appeal to relocate the demonstration. However, Congress leaders refused, insisting on four demands, including the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, an apology from the government over the alleged police action, a statement by Amit Shah in Parliament, and a discussion on the National Education Policy.
The government claimed it had agreed to discuss the NEET issue in Parliament but accused the Congress of adding fresh conditions. With the opposition refusing to back down, police detained the protesters, escalating political tensions during the opening days of the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
