Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apologise to students over
the police action against protesters and begin reforms to the education and examination system, following his release from detention after a protest outside the Prime Minister's residence in New Delhi. In a video posted on X, Gandhi said the Opposition had sought a discussion in Parliament on the treatment of students during protests over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination. "This morning I went and met the speaker of the Lok Sabha and I said to him that it was important that we be allowed to debate what happened to the students the day before," Gandhi said. According to Gandhi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla told Opposition MPs he would need the government's permission before allowing such a debate. "He needed to take permission from the government but it was very clear to us in the hours after that that there was no interest in the government of having a debate," Gandhi said. He said the opposition then decided to march to the Prime Minister's residence "and bring the issue of the students, which is the most important issue for the country... to the national attention".
भारत के छात्रों और प्रधानमंत्री को मेरा सीधा संदेश... pic.twitter.com/pgZZHLLz8h
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 21, 2026
Gandhi questioned the state of the education system, asking: "Why is the Indian education system collapsing? Why are papers leaking? Why is education so expensive in India? Why do families have to destroy themselves financially to educate their children? These are legitimate questions and there's absolutely nothing wrong with asking these questions."
He said students were demanding the resignations of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and called for action over what he described as the killing and humiliation of students, as well as the withdrawal of cases filed against protesters. "The entire opposition wants that this issue, which is the biggest issue of the country, should be debated in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha tomorrow," he said.
Addressing the Prime Minister directly, Gandhi added: "For what happened yesterday, what your government did, what your Home Minister did, you should apologize to the students of the country and start reforming the examination system and education system as soon as possible."
The remarks came after Gandhi led a Congress protest from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official residence on Tuesday afternoon, a day after demonstrations over the NEET examination near Parliament.
The Congress said the march was intended to protest against paper leaks and the "attack" on students. Gandhi was seen sitting on the road before being detained along with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other Congress leaders. Video from the scene showed Gandhi being surrounded by police officers and later being taken away. Congress said he suffered a nose injury during the detention.
After the police action, Gandhi told reporters: "Democracy in India is happening right now."
He was taken to Chhatrasal Stadium, while Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was taken to Mandir Marg Police Station. Both leaders were later released. Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi visited Priyanka Gandhi Vadra at the police station before her release.
Earlier in the day, Gandhi had told reporters outside Parliament: "The issue is of students and the way people are being beaten up, this is completely 'unIndian'. Modi ji has not even apologised for what has happened yesterday." He said students were protesting against failures in the country's education and examination systems.
"The whole country knows that the education system and the testing system is broken and has ceased to exist," he said. "The testing system has been hollowed out by termites and that is what the students are stating."
Calling on the Prime Minister to respond, Gandhi said: "Why is the PM silent? What is the reason? He should apologise to the students and stop this nonsense of police people thrashing students."
Asked whether Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan should resign, Gandhi replied: "Absolutely, he should resign but Dharmendra Pradhan has not beaten up these students, but the home minister (Amit Shah) has, he should resign and the home minister reports to the PM, he should resign."
