NEW DELHI: A day after thousands of students marched through the national capital over the NEET controversy, the political battle escalated on Tuesday as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav were detained after leading a sit-in protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence, demanding his resignation.
The high-voltage confrontation unfolded outside Lok Kalyan Marg, where Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and several senior leaders reached around 3.30 pm and staged a dharna, accusing the Centre of shielding those responsible for the alleged NEET paper leak and ordering police action against protesting students. NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule joined the demonstration later.
The Union government was quick to defuse the face-off by rushing Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh to hold talks with Rahul Gandhi. Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan was also present. However, the discussions failed to break the deadlock, with the government later accusing Gandhi of shifting the goalposts from seeking a parliamentary debate to demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The Congress demands included a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament on police violence, a judicial inquiry into the alleged police excesses against protesting students, and an immediate discussion on NEET in both Houses.
As the protest continued, Delhi Police moved in to clear the site. Visuals showed Rahul Gandhi sitting on the ground and resisting as security personnel attempted to lift him away. “Democracy in India is happening right now,” Gandhi told reporters.
Rahul Gandhi was taken to Chhatrasal Stadium in Model Town, while Priyanka Gandhi was detained at Mandir Marg police station. Both were released later. Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi reached the police station where Priyanka was being held.
Several Congress MPs, Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan also attended the protest. Before the protest began, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi visited students injured during Monday’s protests.
Earlier, Rahul Gandhi along with other opposition leaders met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, urging him to allow a discussion in Parliament on the police ‘brutality’ and NEET controversy, but was informed that the government’s approval was a must to take up the discussion.