Rahul Gandhi takes protest to PM Modi's door, detained

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and party MPs on Tuesday staged a surprise three-hour dharna outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg-one of the capital's most secure zones-over the paper leak issue. Gandhi was later detained and released.

Gandhi and some others were then taken to Chhatrasal Stadium, while Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and a few others were taken to Mandir Marg Police Station. The remaining leaders were taken to Kingsway Camp, sources said.

The Congress move appeared aimed at stepping up the party's protest over the leak issue and Monday's lathi-charge on students, while seeking to regain the initiative on the issue after the Cockroach Janata Party's dharna at Jantar Mantar took the centre stage, eclipsing the Congress' own agitation.


During the protest, Gandhi called on people to join the dharna near the PM's residence.

"An attack on students is an attack on every Indian family. PM Modi believes he can get away without answers, without consequences. He cannot. Not this time. I ask every patriotic Indian who believes our students deserve justice, join us in dharna in front of the prime minister's residence. The voice of India's students will not be ignored," Gandhi said.

"Modi ji, try every pressure, exert all your might, this fight for justice for students will not stop or be halted," Gandhi said.

Congress leaders also demanded the resignations of the prime minister, the home minister and the education minister, besides seeking a discussion in Parliament on the leak issue and the police action.

While the dharna helped the Congress and Gandhi regain some much-needed political momentum after the party's campaign against the paper leak issue lost steam following the cancellation of three planned student conclaves in mid-July, it also prompted the government to send minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh and senior officials to hold on-the-spot talks with Gandhi and other Congress leaders in an attempt to end the protest.

When the talks failed, the police detained and removed the protesters. By then, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav and NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule had joined the dharna and were also detained.