Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and party MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were detained by Delhi Police on Tuesday during a protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence in New Delhi, according to NDTV.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav was also detained and removed from the protest site.
The Congress intensified its campaign against the Centre by marching towards the Prime Minister's residence at Lok Kalyan Marg, a day after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led demonstration over alleged NEET and other examination paper leaks. The march was led by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
The leaders marched from Kharge's residence on Rajaji Marg, demanding accountability for the police action against protesters during Monday's CJP march to Parliament. Police later detained Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and several opposition leaders around 6:40 pm after Gandhi reportedly refused to leave the protest site.
Before his detention, Rahul Gandhi appealed to people to join the protest, describing the police action against students as "an attack on every Indian family." He accused the government of avoiding accountability and demanded justice for the students.
The protest took an unexpected turn when Union Minister Jitendra Singh visited the site and held talks with Rahul Gandhi.
According to Congress leaders, the discussions ended without any breakthrough. Singh later claimed Gandhi had initially agreed to call off the protest if the government allowed a parliamentary discussion on the NEET and other examination paper leaks, but later added a new demand seeking the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The Congress did not immediately respond publicly to Singh's claim before police dispersed the protest.
Rahul Gandhi later stepped up his criticism of the government, demanding the resignations of both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. He alleged that the Centre was unwilling to discuss the issue in Parliament or take responsibility for the police action against students.
The Congress protest came a day after the CJP's march to Parliament, during which protesters, mainly students and young people, were baton-charged and tear-gassed by police and the Rapid Action Force.
The CJP claimed several protesters were injured, while Delhi Police alleged that demonstrators turned violent, attacked security personnel with stones, vandalised police vehicles and injured 118 police personnel, including senior officers.
The ruling BJP accused the Congress of compromising the Prime Minister's security by attempting to march towards his residence. Congress leaders, however, maintained that the protest was peaceful and said they had no alternative venue to press their demands.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Supriya Sule joined the protest in solidarity, while the Aam Aadmi Party stayed away, alleging that the Congress demonstration diverted attention from the CJP's agitation, highlighting differences within the opposition over its strategy to challenge the government.
Source: NDTV Profit