Delhi Police detained Rahul Gandhi and several Opposition MPs near the Prime Minister’s residence.
Congress demanded Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over police action against CJP protesters.
The Centre agreed for a parliamentary discussion, but Congress insisted on accountability first.
Delhi Police on Tuesday detained Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and several other Opposition MPs after forcibly removing them from a dharna near Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official residence on Lok Kalyan Marg in New Delhi.
The Congress leaders had marched towards the Prime Minister’s residence to protest the police action against participants in the Cockroach Janata Party’s march to Parliament a day earlier. They were stopped near the beginning of Lok Kalyan Marg, where they staged a sit-in before being taken into custody.
Congress Insists On Pradhan’s Resignation
The detentions came after the Centre indicated that it was prepared to discuss concerns related to the education and examination systems in Parliament.
Rahul Gandhi, however, insisted that Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan should first resign. The Congress has also demanded that Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah either apologise for the police action against the protesters or step down.
The party accused the government of failing to take responsibility for the alleged use of force during the CJP’s ‘Chalo Sansad’ march, in which several demonstrators were reportedly injured.
In a post on X, Gandhi said the government could no longer avoid accountability.
“PM Modi believes he can get away without answers, without consequences. He cannot. Not this time,” he wrote.
In another post, he said the Congress had marched to the Prime Minister’s residence to seek answers over the treatment of the protesters.
“We have marched to PM Modi’s house to demand answers from him for the brutalities against young students yesterday. The Government doesn’t want to take any accountability [n]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,” Gandhi posted.
Priyanka Gandhi Accuses Government Of 'Acting Out of Fear'
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was among the leaders detained by the Delhi Police.
As she was being taken away, she accused the government of being afraid of the Opposition.
“They are cowards. They are scared. We are not scared of them. They are scared of us,” Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said.
Congress leader DK Shivakumar also criticised the detention of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, saying the party was fighting for justice for students.
“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 the Parliament... More than 100 MPs are here. No one is afraid of being arrested... This movement will continue till justice is given,” Shivakumar told ANI.
Government Agrees On Parliamentary Discussion
Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh met Rahul Gandhi after the Opposition march was halted near the Prime Minister’s residence.
Singh reportedly conveyed that the government was willing to hold a discussion in Parliament on Wednesday on the issues raised by the student protesters.
The Congress, however, remained firm on its demand for Pradhan’s resignation before the proposed debate. It also continued to seek an apology from the Prime Minister over the police action.
Opposition Parties Back Congress Protest
Several Opposition leaders extended support to Gandhi’s dharna. NCP(SP) MP Supriya Sule and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav joined the protest near Lok Kalyan Marg.
Yadav said it was the Prime Minister’s responsibility to hear the concerns raised by the students.
“The Prime Minister’s responsibility is to listen to the students’ demands. Why is he not accepting their demands?” Yadav told ANI.
Meanwhile, the CJP’s protest at Jantar Mantar continued to attract political backing. NCP(SP) chief Sharad Pawar and Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal were among those who extended support to the agitation.
