Several senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, staged a sudden sit-in near the Prime Minister's residence in Delhi. The protest was held to back students who are agitating against the central government, and it marks the first time the party's top leadership has held a dharna directly outside the PM's house.
Opposition hardens stance after Jantar Mantar incident
According to reports, the standoff escalated after an incident at Jantar Mantar, following which the opposition adopted a more aggressive posture over the students' issue. As part of this, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge walked from Kharge's residence to the Prime Minister's residence and began their protest there. The move is being seen as unusual for the party, since its top leadership had not previously sat in protest right outside the PM's residence.
Hands tied in protest, workers detained
During the demonstration, the leaders registered their protest by tying their hands, a visible attempt to pile pressure on the central government. Police, meanwhile, detained several Congress workers present at the spot, leading to a brief spell of tension at the protest site.
Rahul asks why the PM is staying silent
During the sit-in, Rahul Gandhi posed a sharp question to the central government. He said, "Why is the PM silent, why isn't Dharmendra Pradhan resigning." Through this question, Congress sharpened its demand for the resignation of union minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the students' issue and sought a direct response from the government.
