HighLights
  1. Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi led protest at Lok Kalyan Marg.
  2. Demanded PM Modi, Dharmendra Pradhan's resignations over paper leaks.
  3. Several Congress MPs detained during Delhi protest.

Congress Protest: Congress leaders on Tuesday launched a massive protest outside the residence of PM Modi, demanding resignations of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and the prime minister. Senior Congress leaders, including party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, LoP Rahul Gandhi, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi, KC Venugopal, DK Shivakumar, VD Satheesan, among others, gathered at the Lok Kalyan Marg and raised the issue of police brutality against the students in Delhi yesterday.

The protest march came hours after Parliamentary proceedings were adjourned for the day, amid the opposition's demands to discuss the NEET paper leak issue and the police action against the protesters of Cockroach Janta Party on Monday.

Rahul Gandhi said they have marched to PM Modi's house "to demand answers from him for the brutalities against young students yesterday". He also called upon people who believe in justice for students to join the Congress protest outside PM Modi's residence.

Jitendra Singh Accuses Rahul Gandhi 

Soon after, Minister of State (PMO), Jitendra Singh arrived at the protest site and held discussions with Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders over their demands, which included the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, a discussion on the NEET paper leak in Parliament and the other demands of the student protesters.  

After a dialogue with Congress leaders, Jitendra Singh said that the government has assured the Congress leaders that it is ready to discuss the NEET paper leak issue and the associated movement in Parliament.

However, Singh accused Rahul Gandhi of backtracking on his words and alleged that when he apprised the LoP about the government's assurance, he said: "now I have two demands."

"Rahul Gandhi was assured that his demand has been accepted, and the government is ready to discuss in Parliament all issues related to NEET and the associated movement. When this information was conveyed to Rahul Gandhi, he said that he would not agree to this alone but also sought assurance for the resignation of the Union Education Minister. He said that now I have two demands: discussion in Parliament and the resignation of the Union Education Minister," Jitendra Singh wrote in a post on X.

Congress Leaders Detained

Amid the heavy protest, the Delhi Police detained several Congress leaders, including senior MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Channi, and youth leader Kanhaiya Kumar. "If this is the condition of MPs, imagine what is happening to the students," Randhawa was quoted as saying by the news agency ANI as the police detained him.

While speaking to the reporters, Congress MP Manickam Tagore stated that they wanted to meet the prime minister to seek the dismissal of Pradhan. He further stated that the parliamentarians were not allowed to meet PM Modi, adding that the MPs were being detained by the police.

"There should be action against the Delhi police. The Home Minister is responsible for it. PM Modi is responsible for it. He can't run away from that responsibility. We have not been allowed inside to meet the Prime Minister. Therefore, they are detaining all of the MPs here," he added.

Will Protest Overnight: Jairam Ramesh

When asked till when Congress leaders will protest, senior party leader Jairam Ramesh said that they will continue their agitation overnight. "The whole night, the PM should break his silence, the HM should give statement," Ramesh said. 

On Monday, scores of students, led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), attempted to march to the Parliament demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for the May 3 NEET paper leak.


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