LIVE: All Congress leaders, CJP protesters released from detention; Wangchuk shifted to Medanta
Rahul, Priyanka, Akhilesh stage surprise sit-in outside PM Modi's residence, demanding his resignation; detained for hours after talks with govt fail
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav were on Tuesday (July 21) evening removed from outside the Prime Minister's official residence in New Delhi where they were staging a sit-in protest demanding his resignation over the police action against students during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)'s protest march the day before. The leaders were detained for hours before being released late in the evening.
The protest came in response to the pitched battle that ensued between protesters and police personnel during the CJP-led ‘Sansad Chalo’ rally to Parliament on Monday, which was also the first day of the Monsoon Session, held to demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
According to Delhi Police, more than 118 police personnel sustained injuries, while the number of injured protesters was 60. A young woman injured in police action is on ventilator support at the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital, PTI quoted hospital sources as saying on Tuesday. The woman sustained injuries on Monday.
Rahul, Priyanka stage sit-in
On Tuesday, the Gandhi siblings, accompanied by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, protested outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lok Kalyan Marg residence demanding his resignation. They were joined by several party MPs and leaders, who raised slogans against Modi.
The Congress leaders earlier met some of the students injured in Monday's police action at the Ram Manohar Lohia hospital. Despite Monday's police action, protesters camped at Jantar Mantar through the night braving heavy rains. On Tuesday morning, volunteers cleaned the protest site, while CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke apologised to supporters injured in the police action.
'Girls beaten up by male police officers'
Heavy security remained in place around the protest venue as volunteers were seen cleaning the stage, the only structure left standing after police removed the tents and other temporary installations on Monday.
In an X post, Dipke apologised to those injured in the crackdown.
"I apologise to all our supporters, especially the girls who were brutally beaten up by male police officers. We could have done better. I could have done better to protect you from the inhumane actions of the Delhi Police," he wrote.
"To protect one Dharmendra Pradhan, who is responsible for the deaths of more than 20 students, the government was willing to spill the blood of many more young students," Dipke alleged.
"If you were injured and see this, please DM me. I want to speak to you personally and apologise. We will keep fighting for all of you," he said in another post, while separately describing the developments as, "Not a democracy." CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said activist Sonam Wangchuk's indefinite hunger strike had entered its 24th day.
"Sonam Wangchuk is on the 24th day of his hunger strike. He is still fighting for us. We won't stop. Pradhan has to be sacked," Ranka said in a post on X.
Monday's protest
Monday saw thousands of protesters, carrying placards and the tricolour, fanning out across the city and chanting slogans of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai", "Jai Bhim, "Vande Mataram" and "Dharmendra Pradhan Istifa Do".
As the Delhi Police cracked down on the protesters, the CJP alleged brutality and accused the security personnel of using excessive force against protesters during its "Sansad Chalo" march, alleging that several students were injured and Sonam Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, was pushed around. CJP also claimed that pellet guns were used on protesters.
Police instead accused the protesters of attacking security personnel with stones and other objects, attempting to breach barricades and vandalising government property.
FIR filed, security tightened
Delhi Police have registered four FIRs so far and are in the process of filing two more in connection with violence, vandalism and other incidents during the "Sansad Chalo", PTI said quoting sources.
Security has also been beefed up across the national capital with heavy deployment of police and paramilitary personnel visible at sensitive locations.
Read our related stories:
A warning shot for 2029? Why Delhi protests hold key for Opposition too
Why CJP’s protest stands apart from previous mass movements
CJP protests in pictures: The day ‘Chalo Sansad’ march turned Delhi into a battlefield
CJP conundrum: Is it just a political 'pest' to get swatted away?
Follow this space for more live updates from the protest and also Parliament's Monsoon Session.
Live Updates
- 21 July 2026 7:15 PM IST
AAP takes dig at Congress' dharna outside PM's residence
The Aam Aadmi Party, which has been openly backing the ongoing CJP protest, took a dig at the Congress’ dharna outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence, calling it a "jugalbandi" with the BJP government, and accused Rahul Gandhi of “weakening” the agitation.
Senior AAP leader and former Delhi chief minister Atishi questioned how Rahul was “allowed” to stage a dharna outside the PM’s residence, while the Modi government had refused to talk to Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) supporters despite their month-long protest.
"This is amazing! CJP and Sonam Wangchuk: One month protest at Jantar Mantar. Modi govt refuses to talk to them,” she said.
“Rahul Gandhi: Allowed to protest outside PM residence. In one hour, Modi Govt starts dialogue. Wah! Kya jugalbandi hai!," the AAP leader said on X in Hindi.
AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh accused Rahul of “undermining” the agitation.
"Apparently, to undermine CJP's protest, Modi got Rahul Gandhi to stage a protest at his own residence." Delhi AAP chief Saurabh Bharadwaj also attacked the Congress, alleging that its leaders were silent on the ongoing movement, while their social media handles and influencers aligned to them have been trying to "weaken" the CJP protest.
- 21 July 2026 6:57 PM IST
Jitendra Singh: Govt open to NEET discussion, Rahul refused to relocate protest
Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh met Rahul Gandhi at the protest site and urged him to relocate the demonstration, saying the government was prepared to discuss all issues related to the NEET controversy and the associated student movement in Parliament.Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Singh said Rahul Gandhi's conduct was "not in keeping with democratic principles" and described it as "unfortunate" that the Leader of the Opposition had gone back on his word. He said the Home Secretary had informed Gandhi that the location was unsuitable for a sit-in protest, but Gandhi maintained that it was his prerogative to protest wherever he chose.Despite the talks, the standoff continued as Congress leaders refused to end the dharna, prompting the police to begin detaining protesters from the site. - 21 July 2026 6:45 PM IST
Cong leaders detained outside PM's bungalow
The Delhi Police began detaining Congress leaders staging a sit-in outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence at Lok Kalyan Marg, where they were demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET irregularities.
Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav sat on the road and refused to move as police personnel attempted to clear the protest site. The two leaders, along with several other Opposition MPs, were surrounded by police during the operation.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was also detained and pushed inside a bus as police began to clear the protest site near PM's residence.
- 21 July 2026 6:12 PM IST
Jitendra Singh, Rahul Gandhi hold talks at Congress protest site
Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh met Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi at the site of the Congress protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence at Lok Kalyan Marg, in an apparent attempt to end the standoff.However, the talks failed to yield a breakthrough, with Congress leaders maintaining that they would continue their protest and reiterating their demands for the resignations of Prime Minister Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. - 21 July 2026 6:05 PM IST
Leaders arrive at Jantar Mantar
Opposition leaders continued to extend support to the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) agitation on Tuesday, with Nationalist Congress Party (SP) president Sharad Pawar and MP Supriya Sule visiting the protest site at Jantar Mantar.
AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal also visited the protest venue, expressing solidarity with the students.
A delegation of Left MPs, meanwhile, visited Jantar Mantar to back the ongoing protest against the alleged irregularities in the education sector, adding to the growing Opposition support for the agitation.
- 21 July 2026 5:52 PM IST
Opposition seeks Amit Shah's statement in Parliament over NEET row
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday demanded that Union Home Minister Amit Shah make a statement in Parliament on the ongoing student protests. He also reiterated the party's demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET irregularities. - 21 July 2026 5:40 PM IST
Students may be turned into accused in FIRs as had happened in Delhi riots: Sibal
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal demanded that the list of police personnel and protesters injured during ‘Chalo Sansad’ march be made public and expressed apprehension that students may be turned into accused in FIRs, alleging that this happened during the 2020 Delhi riots as well.
Sibal said children should raise their voice peacefully in every city of the country, so that governments listen to them.
He also lashed out at Union minister J P Nadda over his assertion that a proposal came from the protesters to hold talks with the government and asked that when "our fasting children's proposals" were known to all, was the government waiting to tear gas and lathi-charge them.
Sibal said on X, "Nadda: 'for the first time a proposal came from the protesters to hold talks with the government'. How arrogant!" "Our fasting children's proposals were known to all. What was the government doing? Watching and waiting to tear-gas and lathi charge them! Shameful!" the Independent Rajya Sabha MP said.
Later, addressing a press conference, Sibal said the victims of the paper leaks are also the victims of the lathi-charge, which is ironic.
- 21 July 2026 4:59 PM IST
Chennai joins anti-NEET protests
Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) members staged a protest in Chennai's T. Nagar in solidarity with the youth protesting in Delhi. They demanded the cancellation of the NEET examination and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Meanwhile, singer Arivu met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay at the Secretariat before staging a protest against the NEET examination. Arivu and three others raised slogans outside the Secretariat, following which they were detained by the police for questioning.
- 21 July 2026 4:48 PM IST
AISA alleges police brutality during 'Sansad Chalo' march
The All India Students' Association (AISA) alleged that the Delhi Police used excessive force against students during the 'Sansad Chalo' march a day earlier, and demanded action against those responsible.
Addressing a press conference at the Press Club of India, AISA leaders and students who participated in Monday's protest reiterated their call for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and alleged that peaceful demonstrators were lathi-charged and assaulted by police while attempting to march towards Parliament.
AISA All India president Neha, who had ended her 23-day hunger strike on Monday, said the police action reflected the government's unwillingness to listen to students' concerns. "Instead of responding to the issues of students, the government responded with barricades and lathis. Students marched peacefully to raise questions about education and employment, but were met with violence," she alleged.
Students who addressed the press conference alleged that police personnel assaulted protesters, dragged demonstrators and used force while dispersing the gathering.
AISA claimed that several activists sustained injuries during the police action.
- 21 July 2026 4:42 PM IST
CJP removes Vijeta Dahiya as spokesperson
The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) has removed Vijeta Dahiya as its spokesperson following controversy over his absence during the party's 'Chalo Sansad' march and videos showing him eating a burger during the protest.
Announcing the decision on X, the party described Dahiya's actions as "deeply insensitive."
Dahiya came under fire after a video of him taking a break to eat a burger during Monday's protest in New Delhi went viral, prompting criticism from social media users who questioned his priorities and commitment to the agitation.
Responding to the backlash, Dahiya said he had stepped away because he was hungry and needed to eat. He also argued that critics were treating him as though his role was to participate in the protest itself rather than express support for the cause.
