Rahul Gandhi's Detention Sparks Congress-BJP Street Battle in Vijayawada
BJP claimed district vice-president Chaitanya Sharma, district president Adduri Sriram and others were attacked before workers surrounded the Congress party office
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2026-07-22 11:35 GMT
Vijayawada: Congress workers protesting the detention of their leader Rahul Gandhi during his dharna in front of the prime minister's residence and BJP workers who participated in the rival protest organised in the city on Wednesday clashed with each other, triggering tension. Both parties accused each other of violence and provocation.
Congress protest was organised to condemn the detention of senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during a dharna near Prime Minister's residence in New Delhi over the NEET question paper leak and police brutality against participants of a march towards Parliament demanding education minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over the NEET issue.
The BJP, in turn, organised a counter-protest condemning the Congress demonstration near the Prime Minister's residence and defending the Centre's handling of the issue.
Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee protested Gandhi's arrest in Delhi and attacks on protesting students and youth during their march towards Parliament, under APCC chief YS Sharmila Reddy's directions.
At Kadiri in Sri Satya Sai district, Congress staged a rasta roko. District President KS Shanawaz alleged repeated paper leaks, police excesses against protesting youth and demanded Modi's resignation.
Shanawaz claimed about 152 paper leaks occurred during BJP rule, alleging NEET and UPSC leaks devastated students' futures and forced some to die by suicide.
He alleged police lathi-charged protesting youths at Jantar Mantar, blamed Central government negligence, and urged nationwide protests until Prime Minister Modi resigns.
Meanwhile, BJP workers assembled at Vijaya Talkies Centre under state president PVN Madhav, raising slogans against Gandhi before the situation turned tense.
BJP claimed district vice-president Chaitanya Sharma, district president Adduri Sriram and others were attacked before workers surrounded the Congress party office.
Addressing supporters, Madhav criticised Gandhi, defended the Centre's handling of the NEET paper leak and said those involved had already been arrested.
He also said threatening Parliament amounted to attacking the nation, while asserting the BJP sympathised with genuine NEET victims and would confront "evil forces".
Police remained deployed to maintain law and order as rival protests continued, with tensions persisting between Congress and BJP workers throughout the demonstrations.