New Delhi: As Congress leader Rahul Gandhi led his party’s protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence on Tuesday, Union Minister of State (PMO) Jitendra Singh visited the site and was seen briefly conversing with Gandhi.
According to sources, Singh told Gandhi and other Congress leaders that the government was ready to discuss the issue in Parliament. “There has to be order in Parliament. A law and order situation need not be created. As it is a sensitive area, any such prolonged protest could be a security concern,” he is believed to have told them. Sources said Gandhi may stay at the site until night.
The Protest
Congress leaders, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, KC Venugopal, Pawan Khera, Pariniti Shinde and Manickam Tagore, held a protest at Lok Kalyan Marg, demanding the resignations of the Prime Minister and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan also joined the protest.
Earlier, the leaders held a foot march from Rajaji Marg towards PM Modi’s residence, alleging “brutalities against students yesterday.”
Eighty-four-year-old Mallikarjun Kharge, who marks his birthday today, was seen during the protest standing with his hands raised, wearing tags that Rahul Gandhi was distributing to MPs and protesters. Kharge was later taken away in a car.
Earlier, Delhi Police had detained some Congress leaders, including MP K Suresh, for protesting outside PM Modi’s residence.
The protest was directed against police action during the Cockroach Janata Party’s (CJP) march to Parliament a day earlier. Chairperson of the Punjab Congress Campaign Committee, Charanjit Singh Channi, criticised the BJP over the issue.
BJP, Congress Meet Protesters
Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and KC Venugopal met student protesters injured in the police crackdown in the national capital, with Congress saying PM Modi should apologise for what it called “brutality” against the country’s youth.
Union Health Minister JP Nadda also visited RML Hospital and met the injured protesters.
CJP chief spokesperson Saurav Das on Monday placed three demands before Nadda, including the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and compensation of Rs 1 crore for the families of NEET aspirants, of whom, according to Das, “more than 20” have died.
With ANI inputs
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