Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi was detained by police on Tuesday during a sit-in outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence, as student-led “Cockroach” protests against the government continued to grow despite a sweeping crackdown.
Gandhi and several opposition leaders staged the protest to condemn police action against demonstrators demanding education reforms and greater government accountability. Before being detained, Gandhi called for the resignation of Prime Minister Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the handling of the protests.
Police took Gandhi and other detained leaders to a nearby police station. Members of his Congress party, including his sister Priyanka Gandhi, were also detained. Videos shared on social media appeared to show police forcibly removing Gandhi, with later posts claiming he sustained injuries during the arrest.
The protests entered a second day in New Delhi, with thousands gathering at Jantar Mantar under heavy police presence, vowing to continue until the education minister resigns over alleged failures in India’s examination system.
Police said nearly 180 people were injured during Monday’s clashes, including 118 security personnel and 60 protesters, after officers used tear gas and batons to disperse demonstrators marching towards Parliament. The youth-led movement has since broadened to include professionals and families, becoming one of the biggest public challenges to Modi’s government in recent years. (Newswire)