BB Desk
High political drama unfolded in the national capital on Tuesday as Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra along with several others were forcibly removed and detained by Delhi Police during a sit-in protest near Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence.
The protest led by the Congress and joined by Chief Minister of Kerala V. D. Satheesan and Chief Minister of Karnataka D. K. Shivakumar, was organised to demand accountability from the Centre over the police action against protesters during the previous day’s demonstrations. As the leaders attempted to continue their dharna despite heavy security deployment, police personnel moved in to disperse the gathering.
Visuals and videos shared by the Congress showed Rahul Gandhi being physically dragged away by security personnel, while Priyanka Gandhi and other leaders were escorted into police vehicles. The Congress later released images showing Rahul Gandhi with a nosebleed, alleging that he was manhandled during the detention. Delhi Police has not publicly responded to these allegations so far.
Addressing supporters before being detained, Rahul Gandhi said the protest was aimed at seeking justice for students and questioning the government’s handling of the issue. Congress leaders accused the Centre of attempting to suppress democratic dissent, maintaining that peaceful protest is a constitutional right.
Among those detained were Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, several MPs and party workers along with the Gandhi Siblings. The detentions triggered protests by Congress workers in several states, while opposition parties condemned the police action as excessive.
The developments have intensified the political confrontation between the ruling BJP and the opposition, with Congress asserting that the government’s response reflects an intolerance towards peaceful democratic protests. The political fallout is expected to reverberate in Parliament and beyond.
