Rahul Gandhi Lies on Road During Protest Near PM Residence, Detained Along With Priyanka Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav
Dramatic scenes unfolded outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official residence on Tuesday as Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi lay down on the road while resisting detention during a protest over the police action against participants in the Cockroach Janata Party's (CJP) Parliament march.
Visuals from the protest site showed Rahul Gandhi remaining on the ground as Delhi Police personnel attempted to remove him before escorting him into a police vehicle along with several other Congress leaders. The protest was organised to condemn the alleged use of force against demonstrators during the previous day's march towards Parliament over the NEET controversy.
Several senior Congress leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, were also detained during the demonstration. The party accused the Centre of suppressing peaceful protests and alleged that police used excessive force while dispersing those gathered near 7, Lok Kalyan Marg.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav joined the protest in support of the Congress and was also detained by police. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and senior Congress leader V.D. Satheesan were among those present during the demonstration, reflecting growing Opposition unity on the issue.
Reacting after her detention, Priyanka Gandhi launched a sharp attack on the government, alleging that it was acting out of fear. She claimed the Opposition would continue raising its voice despite police action and asserted that such measures would not silence protests.
Congress leader Pawan Khera also criticised the handling of the protest, alleging that Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and other leaders were manhandled during the detention process. He said the party would continue its campaign against the government over the issue.
Earlier in the day, Union Minister Jitendra Singh briefly interacted with Rahul Gandhi at the protest venue. While the details of the conversation were not disclosed, visuals showed the two leaders speaking before the situation escalated and police began detaining Opposition leaders.
The protest was part of the Congress' wider campaign demanding accountability over the NEET controversy and the police action against protesters during the CJP-led march. The party has also been pressing for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and has sought a discussion on the matter in Parliament.
