Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday led a Congress protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, demanding the resignation of the Prime Minister, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the police action against demonstrators during the Cockroach Janata Party's (CJP) march to Parliament. Senior Congress leaders, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and K.C. Venugopal, joined the demonstration.
The protest came on the second day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, a day after clashes between Delhi Police and CJP supporters during the outfit's 'Chalo Sansad' march left several protesters injured.
In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi said, "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 nor does it want to have a debate on it in Parliament. PM and HM must resign for destroying the future of India's youth."
Speaking to reporters outside Parliament before the protest, Gandhi accused the Centre of ignoring concerns over the country's examination system. "The entire country knows the education system and testing system are broken; it has ceased to exist. The testing system has been hollowed out by termites. That is all they are saying. We have been saying it too. I have been giving presentation after presentation about this. Why is the Prime Minister silent?" he said.
He also alleged that the Opposition was denied an opportunity to raise the issue in Parliament. "We went to the Speaker and said, 'Look, we want to discuss the student issue,' and the Speaker told us that to hold a discussion, he has to ask the government. Do you understand what this means? The Speaker is telling us that to debate in Parliament, he has to take permission from the government," Gandhi said.
Describing the police action as "un-Indian", Gandhi said students deserved to be treated with dignity. "The point is this is no way to treat the young people of this country. The young people of this country do not have opportunities; all the doors are closed; one door is open for competitive exams, which is also destroyed. These students here are complaining not just about the education system but their future," said Rahul Gandhi. He further accused the government of failing students and called for the resignation of the Prime Minister, the Home Minister and the Education Minister.
Following his interaction with the media, Rahul Gandhi, accompanied by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and K.C. Venugopal, visited Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital to meet those injured in Monday's clashes before leading the protest at Lok Kalyan Marg.
According to reports, Rahul Gandhi decided to march to the Prime Minister's residence after the Opposition was allegedly not allowed to discuss the issue in the Lok Sabha. During the protest, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh met Gandhi and urged him to end the demonstration.
Meanwhile, CJP representatives Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka met Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda and submitted the organisation's demands in writing. The protest site at Jantar Mantar was cleared following Monday's clashes, while prohibitory orders under Section 163 remained in force in parts of central Delhi. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, however, continued his sit-in at Jantar Mantar, maintaining that the agitation would continue until Pradhan resigned.
Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk also remained on hunger strike. On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court allowed him to be shifted from Safdarjung Hospital to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram for continued treatment, directing that all medical records be transferred to ensure continuity of care.
