Arunachal Congress protests Rahul Gandhi's detention, seeks Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation

The Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) on July 21 staged a protest outside Raj Bhavan in Itanagar, condemning the detention of Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and several senior Congress leaders by the Delhi Police.

The protest, led by APCC president Bosiram Siram, saw party workers accuse the BJP-led Union government of using police machinery to suppress democratic dissent and silence the Opposition.

Addressing the gathering, Siram alleged that instead of addressing concerns over alleged examination irregularities, the Centre had resorted to action against Opposition leaders and students protesting over the issue.

"The BJP-led government has once again exposed its intolerance towards democratic dissent by using the police machinery to suppress the voice of the Opposition and intimidate students who are demanding justice for repeated examination irregularities," Siram said.

The APCC president further alleged that the Centre had failed to safeguard the integrity of the country's education and examination system and accused it of undermining constitutional and democratic values.

During the protest, the APCC put forward several demands, including the immediate resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, holding him responsible for what it described as the failure to protect the integrity of the examination system and the future of students.

The party also sought a comprehensive discussion in Parliament on the recurring examination controversies and demanded greater transparency, fairness and accountability in the conduct of public examinations.

Additionally, the APCC called for the withdrawal of all FIRs registered against students in connection with the recent protests in Delhi and urged the government to stop what it termed the harassment of peaceful demonstrators.

The Congress leaders maintained that the detention of Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders would not deter the party's campaign and asserted that it would continue to raise issues concerning students, constitutional values and democratic rights.

The APCC also expressed solidarity with students across the country, stating that its agitation for justice and accountability would continue through democratic and peaceful means.

The BJP-led Union government has not responded to the specific allegations made by the APCC.