"We protested to bring students' issues to national attention": Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi [India], July 22 (ANI): Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that the government was "clearly" not interested in having a debate on the events of the July 20 Parliament march, which turned violent and therefore the opposition decided to protest outside the Prime Minister's residence to put the spotlight on the issues of the students.
The Congres MP said that he met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday morning.
"This morning I met the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, and I told him that we needed to be allowed to debate what happened to the students the day before. The speaker said he needed to take permission from the government, and it became clear that there was no interest in the government in having a debate. We decided to go and protest in front of the Prime Minister's house and bring the students' issues to national attention...," the Congress MP said in a video message.
He also set some conditions before the government, including the withdrawal of cases against students.
"The students' demands are, firstly, the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan and Home Minister Amit Shah. Secondly, action should be taken against those who have beaten and humiliated the students, and all the cases against the students should be withdrawn. Finally, the entire opposition wants that there should be a debate on this tomorrow in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on this issue..." he added.
Congress leader Pawan Khera said, "Our demands will not change. If PM Modi thinks that he can dictate what demands the Leader of the Opposition should place before him, he is under a huge misconception. Dharmendra Pradhan must go; the FIRs and cases filed against students and the youth must be withdrawn..."
Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday evening reached the Mandir Marg Police Station after Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with several other Opposition leaders, were detained by the Delhi Police during a protest near Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak and demands of students.
Some of the detained Opposition leaders were brought to the Mandir Marg Police Station, while a bus carrying Rahul Gandhi and several other leaders went to Chhatrasal Stadium following the protest at Lok Kalyan Marg.
The Congress leaders had marched from Rajaji Marg to the Prime Minister's residence, demanding accountability over the paper leak, action against the police crackdown on student protesters and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. (ANI)