‘Remove this government’: Rahul Gandhi claims police whisper stunned him during detention
Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that police personnel escorting him into custody during the Congress protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence quietly urged him to remove the BJP-led government.
Speaking at a press conference at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters, Gandhi claimed some officers privately conveyed their frustration even as they carried out their official duties.
Recalling the incident, he said one policeman from Rajasthan allegedly told him, 'Remove this government. We are only wearing the uniform,' while another officer from Haryana echoed similar sentiments.
Referring to the police action during the demonstration, Gandhi said he was unfazed by the physical treatment he received.
He remarked that a few punches or being dragged away would not deter him from raising issues affecting students, adding that he was prepared to bear far more if it meant standing up for the country's youth.
Explaining the Congress's decision to stage the protest, Gandhi said the Opposition believed it was necessary to join students who had taken to the streets over the alleged examination irregularities.
He described the controversy as a serious injustice to young aspirants and their future.
The Congress leader renewed the Opposition's demand for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, alleging that the government had failed to safeguard the credibility of the examination system.
He also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apologise for the police action against protesting students.
The Congress demonstration was organised amid growing outrage over the alleged NEET paper leak.
The agitation intensified after activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had begun an indefinite hunger strike, was removed from Jantar Mantar by police and later admitted to hospital. In a handwritten note issued afterwards, Wangchuk described the action as an 'illegal detention.'