Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi stage sit-in near PM Modi’s residence over paper leaks
New Delhi: A day after a massive ‘Sansad Chalo’ protest led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge along with Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) and party leader Rahul Gandhi, party MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and others, staged a sit-in near Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence in the national Capital on Tuesday over the police action against the protesting students.
Similar to the CJP-led protest, the Congress leaders sought the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET-UG paper leaks.
Congress workers led by the party chief, LoP Rahul Gandhi and MP Priyanka Gandhi gathered outside Kharge’s house at 10, Rajaji Marg on Tuesday afternoon and marched to PM Modi’s residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, just over a kilometre away.
During the protest, Rahul Gandhi also demanded the resignations of PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
In a post on X he 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,” he added.
Earlier in the day, LoP Gandhi had hit out at the Centre over the “brutal” crackdown on students protesting at the Jantar Mantar against NEET paper leaks and demanded an unconditional apology from the government.
Speaking to newsmen outside the Parliament House, the Congress MP said that the students are raising their voice against the “broken education system” and using force to quell their stir was beyond all reasoning.
Taking a direct shot at the government as well as PM Modi, he demanded that the latter apologise for ordering a lathi charge on the agitating students and advised the Centre to rather take an honest review of the education system.
“People are being beaten and thrashed; this is completely unacceptable. Why is the Prime Minister silent? He should speak up. He should apologise and stop this nonsense (police thrashing students for raising their voice),” Rahul said, while flanked by party MPs including Priyanka Gandhi.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police came under fire after scores of students and youngsters were lathi-charged and tear-gassed during the CJP’s march to the Parliament on Monday. The CJP said several people were badly injured and left bleeding after the action by the police forces.
The Delhi Police, on the other hand, accused the protesters of displaying “unruly, aggressive and violent behaviour”.