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Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra slammed the BJP-led government after she left the Mandir Marg Police Station where she was detained by Delhi Police during a party protest over demands of protesting students and said there is need to "fix the broken education system".
She also said that Dharmendra Pradhan should resign as Education Minister. "What is the problem in listening to the children of our country, the future of our nation? They have a genuine demand... As their representatives, it is our responsibility to raise and empower their voices... In a democracy, protesting is a fundamental right... We will raise our voice wherever it is required... Our demand is clear and remains the same from the beginning... We have to fix the broken education system," she told reporters. "Dharmendra Pradhan has to resign. A discussion should be held in Parliament. And the students should be heard... What is the meaning of Vande Mataram? Respecting our motherland. Our motherland is democracy. Who are these children? They are the ones who have voted us into the Parliament... Why is a bill not being introduced for the overhaul of the education system? Rs 16 lakh crore worth of loans of Adani-Ambani were waived. But only Rs 1.4 lakh crore were spent on the entire country's education," she added. The Congress leader accused the government of trying to throttle democracy. "If the Leader of the Opposition wishes to speak in Parliament, he is not allowed to do so. If we seek permission to stage a protest, that permission is denied. So we went to a place where they least expected us," she said. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday slammed the Centre over the detention of the party's leaders during a protest at Lok Kalyan Marg, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and former Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi were detained by the Delhi Police during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence. In an X post, Kharge alleged that police action against the Congress leaders was out of "fear" in the government. Kharge wrote, "The tyrannical government is trembling in fear. First, they ruined the education system, spoiled the future of millions of children, orchestrated leaks of over 150 exam papers, caused the deaths of 25 students, and when students took to the streets demanding justice, they unleashed lathi charges and rained down blows on them! They locked the gates of Parliament, imprisoned the MPs, refused to heed the united opposition's call for a debate, did not dismiss Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Modi ji remained silent on the atrocities against students, the Home Minister, who controls the Delhi Police, issued no statement despite our demands!!" Karnataka Congress workers also held a protest in Bengaluru over the detention of party leaders. Several protestors were detained amid heavy police deployment at Lok Bhavan. Jammu and Kashmir Congress President Tariq Hamid Karra, along with senior leaders, staged a protest outside the Governor House in Jammu. Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (JKPDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti also came in support of the Congress. "The shameful arrest of Rahul Gandhi & Priyanka Gandhi is yet another blot on India's democracy. A government that fears questions inevitably resorts to silencing its critics. Ironically, Rahul Gandhi's message to Gen Z 'Daro mat' has come full circle. Today's the government that appears afraid of the Leader of the Opposition. Democracy is being strangled by brute force. It's time to stand up to those in power," Mufti said in a post on X. (ANI)
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