Opposition delegation briefly stopped by Delhi Police before being allowed to proceed; Rahul renews demand for Education Minister’s resignation
By Our Correspondent
New Delhi: Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday led a delegation of INDIA bloc Members of Parliament on a march to Gandhi Smriti in central Delhi, expressing solidarity with students protesting over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak and recent police action against demonstrators.
The opposition leaders said the march was intended to pay tribute to students who allegedly died by suicide following examination-related controversies and to express support for those injured during recent protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).
The delegation, which included Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and several senior leaders of the INDIA bloc, assembled at Rahul Gandhi’s residence at 5, Sunehri Bagh Road before boarding three buses for Gandhi Smriti on Tees January Marg, the memorial where Mahatma Gandhi spent the final days of his life before his assassination on January 30, 1948.
However, shortly after the convoy departed, it was halted by the Delhi Police a short distance from Rahul Gandhi’s residence. Police buses were positioned in front of and behind the convoy, while barricades blocked the route. Security personnel repeatedly announced over loudspeakers that prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) were in force in parts of the New Delhi district.
After a brief standoff between the opposition leaders and the police, the barricades were removed and the convoy was permitted to continue towards Gandhi Smriti under heavy security.
Holding a copy of the Constitution of India, Rahul Gandhi led the march after reaching the memorial. He paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and unfurled the national flag as MPs walked in procession through the complex.
Several Congress leaders carried placards demanding action over the alleged examination paper leaks and calling for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Many participants also switched on the flashlights of their mobile phones during the march as a symbolic gesture of protest.
Speaking to reporters after the convoy was stopped, Rahul Gandhi criticised the police action and questioned why the opposition delegation had been prevented from proceeding.
“Our students are on the streets, so we too have come out on the streets. We were heading to Gandhi Smriti, but we were stopped. All our MPs wanted to go there, but permission was denied. They have parked buses here and we are unable to move ahead,” he said.
Senior Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit also questioned the restrictions imposed by the police.
“Those who are allowed to enter Parliament, can they not go to Gandhi Smriti? The government has parked its buses here even though it knew we were leaving from this point. Why these barricades? Are we goons or criminals?” he asked.
The police did not immediately issue a detailed statement on the temporary stoppage but had earlier cited prohibitory orders in the New Delhi district as the reason for restricting movement in sensitive areas.
The march comes amid escalating political confrontation over the alleged examination paper leak controversy and the recent crackdown on student protesters in the national capital. The Congress and its INDIA bloc allies have intensified their campaign against the Centre, accusing the government of failing to protect students’ interests and demanding accountability over the handling of the protests.
After the convoy was allowed to move, the delegation reached Gandhi Smriti without further interruption, although security remained exceptionally tight throughout the route. The opposition leaders concluded the programme by paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi and reiterating their support for students demanding transparency in public examinations and accountability for the recent police action.