In a major political escalation in the capital, Delhi Police forcibly detained opposition figures including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and Akhilesh Yadav. The leaders were staging a dharna outside the Prime Minister's residence to protest against the NEET examination. According to news reports, law enforcement officials dragged the leaders away from the site to break up the gathering.
Rahul Gandhi Vows to Continue Fight
The forceful removal from the protest site was met with immediate defiance. Following his detention, Rahul Gandhi stated that even if every pressure is tried, the fight will not stop. This demonstration was part of a broader wave of protests concerning the NEET issue. Meanwhile, AAP has claimed that this specific dharna actually weakened a separate month-long protest led by CJP.
Tharoor Condemns Police Action
The police crackdown quickly drew condemnation from within the Congress. Shashi Tharoor took to the social media platform X to denounce the treatment of his colleagues. He called the forceful detention of the opposition leaders a "severe affront to our democracy," arguing that physical aggression against a peaceful protest is completely unjustifiable and reminding that an accountable government listens.
Public Reaction and the Embassy Alert
The incident has triggered widespread discussions and polarizing reactions online. While many expressed outrage over the detentions, some members of the public began asking questions about a previously leaked document. Specifically, users pointed to a United States Embassy alert dated July 17, which had asked American citizens to avoid gatherings in Delhi four days before the July 20 violence. This has led some to question if there was any foreign role in the recent unrest.
