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India’s main opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav were detained by Delhi Police on Tuesday after staging a sit-in outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official residence in support of student protesters demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The high-profile detentions marked a dramatic escalation in the nationwide agitation over alleged irregularities in competitive entrance examinations, which has evolved into one of the biggest youth-led protests during Modi’s tenure.
The Congress leaders, accompanied by several Members of Parliament and opposition supporters, gathered near the Prime Minister’s residence to express solidarity with thousands of students protesting against repeated examination paper leaks, alleged evaluation errors and what they described as the government’s failure to ensure accountability.
Police stopped the opposition leaders before they could reach the Prime Minister’s residence and detained them after they refused to disperse.
The demonstration came just a day after Delhi Police used tear gas and force to disperse thousands of students marching towards Parliament, leaving more than 100 protesters injured and triggering widespread criticism from opposition parties, civil society groups and student organisations.
Addressing supporters before being taken into custody, Rahul Gandhi accused the government of suppressing democratic voices instead of addressing students’ legitimate concerns.
“The youth of India are demanding justice, transparency and accountability. Instead of answering their questions, the government is responding with police action,” he said.
Priyanka Gandhi also condemned the police crackdown, saying peaceful protesters were being treated like criminals for demanding a fair examination system.
Akhilesh Yadav echoed similar concerns, alleging that the government had failed to protect the future of millions of students while attempting to silence dissent through arrests and intimidation.
The opposition leaders demanded the immediate resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, an independent judicial inquiry into the examination scandals, compensation for the families of students who reportedly died after the controversies, and the release of activist Sonam Wangchuk, who remains under medical supervision after being removed from a prolonged hunger strike.
The student movement, led by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), has gained momentum over the past several weeks following allegations of widespread paper leaks, administrative failures and irregularities affecting millions of candidates in various national entrance examinations.
Organisers have vowed to continue demonstrations until the government accepts their demands.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police maintained that the detentions were preventive measures aimed at maintaining law and order around the high-security zone surrounding the Prime Minister’s residence. Authorities have also filed multiple criminal cases against protesters over allegations of violence, vandalism and unlawful assembly during Monday’s demonstrations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has yet to make a public statement on the protests or the opposition’s allegations.
Political analysts say the detention of three of India’s most prominent opposition leaders is likely to intensify political pressure on the government and further galvanise the student movement, which has become a broader symbol of youth frustration over governance, unemployment and educational accountability.
With student protests continuing across New Delhi and opposition parties throwing their weight behind the movement, the confrontation between the government and demonstrators appears set to deepen in the coming days.
