New Delhi, July 21: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav were detained by Delhi Police on Tuesday after they staged a protest near Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence over the NEET issue. The protest followed police action against student demonstrators a day earlier. Several political leaders later reacted with both support and criticism.
Rahul Gandhi, along with senior Congress leaders and the Chief Ministers of Karnataka and Kerala, began a sit-in protest around 3.30 pm. However, Delhi Police removed the protesters from the site. During the operation, Rahul Gandhi resisted the police action and reportedly sustained a minor injury below his eye, according to his aide.
Meanwhile, dramatic scenes unfolded as Priyanka Gandhi held onto the door of a police bus even after it began moving. Police later detained several opposition leaders and shifted them from the protest venue.
NEET Protest Triggers Political Reactions
The Congress has demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. It has also sought a discussion on the NEET issue in Parliament and justice for protesting students.
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party criticized the Congress protest. Senior AAP leader Atishi questioned why Rahul Gandhi was allowed to protest near the Prime Minister’s residence while the government had not held talks with Cockroach Janata Party supporters despite their month long agitation. She described the situation as a “jugalbandi” between the BJP and the Congress.
Similarly, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh alleged that Rahul Gandhi’s protest weakened the ongoing student movement. Delhi AAP chief Saurabh Bharadwaj also accused the Congress of remaining silent during the agitation while attempting to weaken the protest through its supporters on social media.
However, the Central government said it was ready to discuss all issues related to NEET and the associated protests in Parliament. Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh stated that the government remained open to debate but claimed the Congress had not submitted a formal notice seeking a discussion under parliamentary rules. He also criticized Rahul Gandhi for continuing the protest despite the government’s willingness to hold talks.
On the other hand, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy extended support to Rahul Gandhi. In a post on X, he said Rahul Gandhi was protesting for the future of India’s youth. He also stated that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyanka Gandhi were standing with students across the country. Furthermore, he reaffirmed the party’s commitment by stating, “Congress ka haath, Yuva ke saath.”
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