Rahul Gandhi Detained During Delhi Protest

Political tensions escalated in the national capital on Tuesday after Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, was detained by the Delhi Police along with several senior leaders of the INDIA bloc during a protest near the Prime Minister's residence on Lok Kalyan Marg.

Democracy in India is happening right now.

: LoP Shri @RahulGandhi pic.twitter.com/alxQntw3jK

— Congress (@INCIndia) July 21, 2026

The demonstration was organized by the Congress and its alliance partners to demand the immediate resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities and paper leaks in competitive examinations. Protesters accused the Centre of failing to protect the credibility of the examination system and sought accountability for the controversies affecting lakhs of students across the country.

गिरफ़्तार करो, जेल में डालो, फर्क नहीं पड़ता - मोदी सरकार की सत्ता की ताकत से ज़्यादा बड़ी हमारे सत्याग्रह की शक्ति है।

हमारे बच्चों के साथ हुए अत्याचार का हिसाब तो देना ही होगा। pic.twitter.com/nrNmrLBxp3

— Congress (@INCIndia) July 21, 2026

Several prominent opposition leaders, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V.D. Satheesan, and MPs from various INDIA bloc parties, participated in the sit-in protest. The leaders raised slogans against the Central Government and reiterated their demand for action over the alleged examination scandals.

• क्या दिल्ली पुलिस के पास महिला पुलिसकर्मी नहीं हैं?
• क्या महिला सांसद को पुरुष पुलिसकर्मी द्वारा जबरन बस में ठूंसा जाना ठीक है?

अमित शाह की पुलिस ने आज न सिर्फ लोकतंत्र की धज्जियां उड़ाईं, बल्कि महिला सम्मान की सारी मर्यादाएं लांघ दीं।

देश की महिला सांसद के साथ ऐसा… pic.twitter.com/mkMi8AtcSh

— Congress (@INCIndia) July 21, 2026

As the protesters attempted to march towards the Prime Minister's residence, Delhi Police deployed heavy security personnel, barricades, and preventive measures to stop the procession. Rahul Gandhi and several other opposition leaders were subsequently detained and taken away from the protest site. The police action triggered sharp criticism from the Congress and its allies, who accused the government of suppressing democratic protests.

Following the detentions, Congress leaders stated that the protest was intended to highlight the concerns of students and parents affected by the alleged examination irregularities. They maintained that the demand for the resignation of the Education Minister would continue until accountability is fixed. The incident has further intensified the political confrontation between the ruling NDA government and the opposition INDIA bloc over the handling of examination-related controversies.