Rahul Gandhi being dragged away by security officials
NEW DELHI: Congress on Tuesday released videos showing dramatic scenes of detentions of senior party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra during party’s ‘Chalo PM House’ protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence over the NEET issue.The videos captured the moments when police moved in to clear the protest outside the Prime Minister’s residence.In one video shared by the Congress on its official X handle, leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was seen lying on the road while police personnel attempted to lift him and remove him from the protest site. Former Congress president appeared to resist being taken away as security officials surrounded him and tried to carry him from the spot.The party also released photograph showing Gandhi with what appeared to be a nosebleed following the police action. In a separate video, he can be seen lying down during the protest and talking to reporters, taunting the government by saying, “Democracy in India is happening right now.” Another video released by the party showed Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra standing at the entrance of a police bus and refusing to board it. Officials are seen pulling her inside the vehicle as she resisted being detained.The Congress also shared several photographs on its official social media handles showing Rahul Gandhi and other party leaders being removed by police during the protest. The Congress has presented the videos and photographs as evidence of the manner in which its senior leaders were detained during the protest.
How the protest unfolded
Delhi Police forcibly removed and detained Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and several other opposition leaders after they staged a sit-in outside the Prime Minister’s residence. Rahul Gandhi, along with Congress leaders including the chief ministers of Karnataka and Kerala, began the protest at around 3.30 pm against the police action on students protesting the previous day.The protest came after Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, met students injured during Monday’s clashes linked to the CJP-led march over the NEET issue.The Congress has been demanding the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan and a discussion on the NEET issue in Parliament.The party has also sought justice for students injured during the police action.
Government’s response
Meanwhile, Union minister of state in the Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh said he met Rahul Gandhi at the protest site along with Union home secretary Govind Mohan and urged him to end the sit-in.Singh claimed Rahul Gandhi initially agreed to withdraw the protest if the government allowed a discussion on the NEET issue in Parliament.He alleged that after the government conveyed its willingness to hold the discussion, Gandhi added a fresh demand seeking the resignation of the education minister. Singh described the Congress leader’s conduct as “unfortunate and contrary to every norm of democracy.”Congress leaders, however, have maintained that they were protesting against the alleged police action on students and accused the government of refusing to address the issue in Parliament.
