NEW DELHI: In a major political escalation Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, along with several top Congress leaders, was detained by the Delhi Policeon Tuesday (July 21, 2026) . The detentions occurred during a high-stakes sit-in protest right outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official residence at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg (LKM).
The Congress party’s aggressive demonstration was organized to protest the government’s handling of the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak and to condemn Monday’s severe police crackdown on protesting students.
The Standoff at the Prime Minister’s Residence
Accompanied by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and K.C. Venugopal, Rahul Gandhi led the march to Lok Kalyan Marg, where they staged a dharna (sit-in protest). The protesting leaders raised anti-government slogans, demanding the immediate resignations of PM Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Security in central Delhi was heavily beefed up, with paramilitary forces deployed directly to Lok Kalyan Marg to manage the escalating situation.
During the standoff, the central government dispatched Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh and Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan to 7 LKM to persuade the Congress leaders to call off their protest. However, the talks failed, and Rahul Gandhi refused to leave the premises, reportedly handing over a set of strict demands to the Union Minister. Following the stalemate, the Delhi Police moved in and detained Rahul Gandhi, along with other key party members.
Anger Over Parliament Silence and Police Brutality
The protest outside the PM’s residence was triggered after the Opposition’s attempts to debate the NEET issue and the subsequent police violence in Parliament were repeatedly blocked.
- Earlier on Tuesday, both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha faced adjournments for the day because the Opposition’s demands for a discussion on the NEET paper leak were denied.
- Congress MP Manickam Tagore stated that the party went to Lok Kalyan Marg specifically to meet the Prime Minister after Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla refused to allow the debate.
- Rahul Gandhi took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice his frustration, stating: “We have marched to PM Modi’s house to demand answers from him for the brutalities against young students yesterday. The Government doesn’t want to take any accountability, nor does it want to have a debate on it in Parliament”.
Before heading to LKM, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi visited the Ram Manohar Lohia hospital to meet with young student protesters who were injured during Monday’s “Chalo Sansad” march.
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The Context: The CJP ‘Chalo Sansad’ March
The political firestorm was ignited by Monday’s dramatic events, where thousands of students aligned with the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) attempted to march to Parliament. The youth were demanding accountability for the NEET-UG 2026 irregularities.
The Delhi Police intercepted the march, resulting in a violent confrontation. The police utilized water cannons, lathi-charges, and tear gas to disperse the students. The Delhi Police later released a statement justifying their actions, accusing the protesters of displaying “unruly, aggressive and violent behaviour” and damaging public property.
Rahul Gandhi heavily criticized the use of force on students, describing the police response as “un-Indian” and “undemocratic,” noting that India’s youth are simply demanding a fair and