The Indian government appeared ready for a discussion on education-related issues after Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi of the Congress led a protest by MPs outside the official residence of the Prime Minister at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, in New Delhi on Tuesday, a day after a students' march faced police action.
Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), met Rahul Gandhi soon after and said the government is ready for a discussion in Parliament on the students' protest-related issue on Wednesday, people familiar with the matter told the Hindustan Times.
However, it is learnt that the Congress is firm on its demand for resignations by PM Narendra Modi, education minister Dharmendra Pradhan and home minister Amit Shah over the police action against protesters during the Cockroach Janata Party's (CJP) march to Parliament a day earlier.
Rahul Gandhi posted on X: “We have marched to PM Modi’s house to demand answers from him for the brutalities against young students yesterday. The Government doesn’t want to take any accountability [n]or does it want to have a debate on it in Parliament. PM and HM must resign for destroying the future of India’s youth.
This came on the second day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, a day after clashes between Delhi Police and CJP supporters during the outfit's ‘Chalo Sansad’ march left several protesters injured. The confrontation fuelled the confrontation between the opposition and the government over alleged irregularities in the country's examination and education system.
Party MPs, including president Mallikarjun Kharge and general secretaries Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and KC Venugopal, were at the protest, the first time Rahul has led such a demonstration outside the PM's house.
Rahul Gandhi decided to move to the PM's house because the Lok Sabha speaker didn't give the Opposition an opportunity to raise the issue in Parliament, a leader told HT. “He told the MPs, 'let's go and wake the PM on this issue',” a person familiar with the matter said.
Minister of State in the PMO, Jitendra Singh, met Rahul Gandhi and urged him to end the protest outside the PM's residence.
Rahul Gandhi demands PM Modi's resignation
Before proceeding for the protest, speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Gandhi accused the Centre of using police force to suppress students raising genuine concerns. “The entire country knows the education system and testing system are broken; it has ceased to exist. The testing system has been hollowed out by termites. That is all they are saying. We have been saying it too. I have been giving presentation after presentation about this. Why is the Prime Minister silent?” Gandhi said.
“We went to the Speaker and said, 'Look, we want to discuss the student issue,' and the Speaker told us that to hold a discussion, he has to ask the government. Do you understand what this means? The Speaker is telling us that to debate in Parliament, he has to take permission from the government,” he said.
Calling the police response “un-Indian”, he said students deserved better treatment. “The point is this is no way to treat the young people of this country. The young people of this country do not have opportunities; all the doors are closed; one door is open for competitive exams, which is also destroyed. These students here are complaining not just about the education system but their future,” Gandhi said.
He further alleged that the country's education system had been taken over by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), parent body of the ruling BJP, and accused the Modi government of favouring industrialists over students. “This is much bigger than education. This is students of India saying they have no future in India. This is legitimate. Dharmendra Pradhan, the home minister and the Prime Minister should resign,” he said.
After addressing the media, Gandhi, accompanied by Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Congress general secretary K C Venugopal, visited Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital to meet protesters injured during Monday's clashes, and later went for the protest at Lok Kalyan Marg (earlier known as Race Course Road).
CJP leaders meet JP Nadda
Meanwhile, two CJP representatives, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, met Union health minister J P Nadda on Monday to submit the organisation's demands in writing following the protest.
The protest infrastructure at Jantar Mantar was dismantled after the clashes, while prohibitory orders under Section 163 remained in force in parts of central Delhi, restricting gatherings of five or more people.
However, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke continued his sit-in at Jantar Mantar, reiterating that the agitation would continue until Pradhan resigns.
Sonam Wangchuk continues hunger strike
Climate activist and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk remained on hunger strike at Safdarjung Hospital, where he was admitted after being taken into custody by Delhi Police on July 18.
According to the latest health bulletin issued by the hospital, Wangchuk's serum potassium level stood at 3.2 mEq/L in a sample collected on Monday night. He is receiving oral rehydration solution (ORS) and oral potassium supplements but continues to decline intravenous fluids and glucose administration.
