Rahul Gandhi detained during NEET protest as Opposition mounts pressure on Centre

New Delhi: Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was detained by Delhi Police on Tuesday while leading a protest march by Congress MPs towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence, as opposition parties intensified their campaign over the alleged police crackdown on students protesting against the NEET examination controversy.

Police stopped the Congress delegation near Lok Kalyan Marg and detained Gandhi along with several party MPs during a sit-in demonstration demanding accountability over the alleged use of force against student protesters.

In a post on X after his detention, Gandhi accused the Centre of refusing to take responsibility for the police action and avoiding a discussion in Parliament.

"Try every pressure, exert all your might — this fight for justice for students will not stop," he wrote, adding that the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister should resign for "destroying the future of India's youth."

The protest came a day after clashes between police and demonstrators during the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) "Chalo Sansad" march over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination.

Hundreds of protesters continued to gather at Jantar Mantar on Tuesday, where many students with visible injuries remained at the protest site.

AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal visited Jantar Mantar after meeting released protesters and their families. Speaking outside Mandir Marg Police Station, he said the party was coordinating legal and logistical assistance for those detained and helping trace missing students.

"This protest was by students. Students are the children of our country; they are the nation's future. Treating them this way is not right," Kejriwal said, adding that several students had suffered injuries during the police action.

Earlier, Kejriwal had posted on X that despite the previous day's police action, the morale of the protesting students remained high and pledged his party's continued support for their movement.

In Parliament, Congress Rajya Sabha MP Renuka Chowdhury moved an adjournment motion under Rule 267, alleging that several Parliament gates had been sealed, mobile internet services suspended and MPs prevented from meeting protesters assembled near Parliament. The motion described the security arrangements as an "unprecedented lockdown" of the Parliament complex.

Meanwhile, the Cockroach Janta Party announced that all protesters detained during Monday's demonstrations had been released.

In a statement on X, the party described the release as a "huge victory" for the movement, alleging that the detainees had been held illegally for over a day despite protesting peacefully. The party subsequently called off its sit-in outside the Delhi Police headquarters.

(Pic credit: Rahul Gandhi's X handle)

Tags : Rahul Gandhi, Lok Sabha, Protest, Jantar Mantar, Parliament, Arvind Kejriwal, Narendra Modi, NEET, Cockroach Janta Party