Rahul Gandhi, Kharge lead protest near PM residence; Centre says Parliament discussion was offered

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was detained on Tuesday evening after leading a protest near Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence, demanding accountability over the alleged police action against students protesting over the NEET issue.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and several MPs joined the demonstration, which was held amid continuing protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Delhi's Jantar Mantar. Gandhi was detained at around 6:45 pm after he refused to leave the protest site.

The protest also came as Parliament witnessed another day of disruptions during the Monsoon Session, with both Houses unable to conduct normal business for the second consecutive day.

Congress demands PM's resignation

The Congress accused the government of using excessive force against students who had been protesting peacefully and demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resignation.

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Ahead of the protest, Rahul Gandhi said the government could not avoid accountability over the issue.

"PM Modi believes he can get away without answers, without consequences. He cannot. Not this time," Gandhi wrote on X, urging people who believed students deserved justice to join the protest outside the Prime Minister's residence.

The Congress also sought a discussion in Parliament on the alleged NEET paper leak and the police action against student protesters.

Centre says Rahul Gandhi changed his demands

The government, however, rejected the Congress's allegations and claimed it had accepted Gandhi's initial demand for a discussion in Parliament within minutes of receiving it.

Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh, who said he was deputed along with Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan to speak to the Congress delegation, accused Gandhi of changing his stand after the government agreed to hold a discussion.

According to Singh, Gandhi had initially assured the government that he would end the sit-in if Parliament agreed to debate all issues related to NEET and the student movement.

Singh said the government quickly conveyed its approval after consulting the top leadership.

However, he alleged that Gandhi later introduced a fresh condition by demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan before agreeing to end the protest.

"When this information was conveyed to Shri Rahul Gandhi, he said that he would not agree to this alone but also sought assurance for the resignation of the Union Education Minister," Singh said in a post on X.

The minister further alleged that Gandhi acknowledged that his demands had changed and insisted that it was his prerogative to do so. Singh also claimed Gandhi refused requests to shift the protest, saying he could stage a sit-in wherever he wanted.

Protests continue, Parliament remains disrupted

The developments come amid the continuing CJP-led agitation at Jantar Mantar, where protesters have vowed to continue their sit-in despite recent clashes with Delhi Police.

Meanwhile, Parliament remained paralysed for the second straight day of the Monsoon Session, with repeated disruptions preventing both Houses from carrying out scheduled business.