Rahul Gandhi Leads Protest Outside PM's Residence Demanding Resignations
Opposition Leaders Rally Outside PM's Residence
On Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha and a Congress MP, spearheaded a protest outside the Prime Minister's official residence at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg in New Delhi. During the demonstration, which was part of the 'Cockroach People’s Party' (CJP) march, he called for the resignations of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah due to police actions against protesters. The rally saw participation from several senior leaders, including Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Pawan Khera, Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Deepender Hooda, and Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav also arrived at the protest site outside PM Modi's residence.
Police Attempt to Disperse Protesters
Tensions escalated outside Prime Minister Modi's residence when Delhi police attempted to remove Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders from the protest area. This incident occurred as Congress leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyanka Gandhi, marched towards the PM's residence to protest against police actions taken against students during a march to Parliament the previous day. A significant police presence was deployed in the area, with efforts made to disperse the protesters and prevent them from advancing.
Minister Jitendra Singh's Request
Following a meeting with opposition leaders, Union Minister Jitendra Singh urged Rahul Gandhi to end the protest, stating that the location was not designated for demonstrations. According to Singh, officials requested Gandhi to conclude the protest outside the Prime Minister's residence, citing public inconvenience and asserting that the area was not meant for such activities. Singh mentioned that Gandhi was willing to end the protest if the government assured a discussion in Parliament regarding NEET and the ongoing student movement. However, Singh noted that Gandhi later added another demand: the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. He stated that the protest would continue until both demands—discussion in Parliament on NEET-related issues and the minister's resignation—were met.
AAP Accuses Congress and BJP of Collusion
Atishi, a leader from the Aam Aadmi Party, accused the BJP and Congress of collusion following Rahul Gandhi's protest outside the PM's residence. She claimed on social media that while CJP and Sonam Wangchuk had protested at Jantar Mantar for a month without any dialogue from the Modi government, Gandhi's protest prompted the government to agree to talks within an hour.