Rahul Gandhi Reaches Gandhi Smriti Amid High Drama in Delhi, Alleges Police Blockade

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and several INDIA bloc leaders on Thursday visited Gandhi Smriti on Tees January Marg to pay tribute to students who allegedly died by suicide in the wake of the NEET paper leak controversy and to express solidarity with those injured during the recent police action on protesters.

The visit unfolded amid heavy police deployment, barricades and allegations by the Congress that the Opposition was prevented from moving freely in central Delhi.

Barricades, buses and police deployment

Before heading to Gandhi Smriti, Opposition MPs assembled at Rahul Gandhi’s residence on Sunehri Bagh Road, where a large police presence was visible.

Police initially erected barricades to prevent Congress and Youth Congress workers from proceeding towards Tees January Marg. The barricades were later removed, allowing Rahul Gandhi and the MPs to continue.

Congress leader P. Chidambaram alleged that the MPs were made to wait inside buses for over 25 minutes as roads across central Delhi remained barricaded.

“We are sitting in buses for over 25 minutes. All roads are barricaded and hundreds of policemen are mobilised to ‘secure’ the roads of Delhi. What is the government afraid of? Why this sense of panic?” he posted on X.

Near Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s residence, the delegation was stopped again, with police citing prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which bars the assembly of five or more people in the area. The leaders were later allowed to proceed.

Rahul Gandhi alleges government ‘drama’

Speaking to reporters from inside a bus, Rahul Gandhi said the Opposition had first sought permission to visit India Gate in solidarity with students but was denied.

“In solidarity with the students, we wanted to take the Opposition MPs to India Gate, but permission was refused. We then decided to go to Gandhi Smriti, and now they have blocked us with barricades and parked buses. They’re creating unnecessary drama because they’re scared,” he alleged.

He added that Opposition MPs felt they should stand alongside students protesting on the streets.

‘Students are not alone’

In a post on X, Gandhi said the visit to Gandhi Smriti was meant to honour students who allegedly lost their lives after the NEET paper leak and to support those injured during the recent protests.

“We go to remember the students we lost and to stand with those injured while peacefully demanding justice and accountability. India’s students are not alone. The entire Opposition stands with them and their demands,” he wrote.

Senior INDIA bloc leaders join march

The delegation included Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, P. Chidambaram, KC Venugopal, Jairam Ramesh, Pramod Tiwari and Renuka Chowdhury.

Leaders from other INDIA bloc parties also joined, including NCP (Sharad Pawar) leader Supriya Sule, RJD MP Misa Bharti, Trinamool Congress MPs Mahua Moitra and Kalyan Banerjee, CPI MP P. Sandosh Kumar and Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant.

Congress workers alleged that Rahul Gandhi was effectively placed under “house arrest” after police barricaded the area outside his residence. Indian Youth Congress president Uday Bhanu Chib accused the Centre of trying to stop the Leader of the Opposition from raising students’ issues, while Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury said the party would not be intimidated by police action.