NEW DELHI — Tensions escalated dramatically outside 7, Lok Kalyan Marg as Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, joined by Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyanka Gandhi, launched an overnight sit-in demonstration following a march to the Prime Minister’s residence.
The high-stakes standoff follows inconclusive direct talks between Rahul Gandhi and Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh, who personally arrived at the protest site in an effort to diffuse the situation.
Direct Talks Fail as Opposition Expands Demands
The political confrontation highlights deepening friction between the government and opposition benches over student safety and parliamentary debate:
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Inconclusive Mediation: Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain confirmed that the dialogue with MoS Jitendra Singh broke down after the government requested an immediate end to the demonstration without agreeing to structural conditions.
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Resignation Demands: The Opposition has escalated its core demands, calling for the resignations of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over paper leak management and police action against youth marchers.
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Stall in Parliament: Both Houses faced rapid adjournments after Opposition leaders alleged systematic muting of microphones during attempts to discuss the ongoing student agitation.
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Government Position: Prime Minister Modi assured NDA partners that state agencies have acted swiftly regarding paper leak cases, while Union Minister Kiren Rijiju appealed for constructive legislative participation rather than public disruption.
