Rahul-Led INDIA Bloc MPs Visit Gandhi Smriti in Student Solidarity

New Delhi: Upping the ante against the government over paper leaks and alleged police brutality against students, INDIA bloc MPs, led by Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, paid homage at Gandhi Smriti here on Thursday as an expression of solidarity with protesting students and their demands.

Gandhi said since students are on the streets, the opposition MPs felt that they should also be on the streets to send a message to them that -- "we are with you and against the violence being inflicted upon you".

At around 6 pm, INDIA bloc MPs, including those from the Congress, as well as senior party leaders began streaming into Gandhi's 5, Sunehri Bagh Road residence. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress Parliamentary Party chief Sonia Gandhi were also present at the leader of opposition's residence.

After an hour, the MPs and several senior leaders boarded buses and cars to head to Gandhi Smriti. A senior leader said about 130 MPs visited Gandhi Smriti and all INDIA bloc constituents were represented.

En route to Gandhi Smriti, the place where Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated, the MPs were stopped twice by police with barricades, which were eventually removed as the convoy made its way slowly to Tees January Road.

"Our students are on the streets, so all opposition MPs felt that we should also be on the streets with them. We wanted all opposition MPs to go to India Gate, but they (the government) refused.... We then said we wanted to go to Tees January Marg, but they parked this bus here and the driver got off and left it there, preventing us from moving ahead," Rahul Gandhi said.

The obstacles were removed after a brief halt.

"The main message to the students is that we stand with you. The entire opposition stands with you. We are against the violence being inflicted on you," Rahul Gandhi told reporters from the bus full of MPs, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

He claimed that the government is "scared" and therefore, putting obstacles in their way.

"No one can stop us from standing with the students of India," the former Congress chief later said in a social-media post.

On reaching Gandhi Smriti, the leader of opposition and the other MPs paid homage and later, sang the national anthem.

Rahul Gandhi carried a copy of the Constitution with him, while MPs Mahua Majhi and Mahua Moitra were seen holding the national flag.

Carrying placards demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation and slamming the Modi government for "152 paper leaks" in the last 10 years, several MPs also switched on the flashlight of their mobile phones at Gandhi Smriti.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Gandhi Smriti Vice-Chairman Vijay Goel said Gandhi Smriti is the place where the Father of the Nation was assassinated and anyone who follows the Mahatma's principles, or those visiting for the first time, are welcome.

Talking to reporters at Gandhi Smriti after paying homage, Priyanka Gandhi said, "These are the youngsters of our country and the way they are being beaten, lathi-charged, tear-gassed and targeted with water cannons is there for everyone to see. We have come here to send a message to the government and the country about what our nation truly stands for. What did Mahatma Gandhi fight for and how did he fight? What Mahatma Gandhi, our farmers, and the poor did was a unique revolution, a unique movement, because not a hand was raised at anyone."

Today, in that very same country, children are being beaten up simply because they are demanding their rights, she said.

The democracy for which Mahatma Gandhi and countless others laid down their lives, and for which so many freedom fighters struggled, is now under threat, the Congress general secretary said.

"Today, in this very country, we are beating our own children. We are moving towards destroying the democracy they fought and sacrificed for. The soldiers who wear the uniform and stand at our borders do so to protect this country. Is it so that their children can be beaten for demanding justice over examination paper leaks and asking for their rights?" she asked.

Rahul Gandhi and the Congress have been raising the pitch against the BJP-led Centre since Tuesday, when party leaders protested outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence. On Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi held a press conference, in which he expressed full support for the protesting students, saying their demands, including Pradhan's resignation, are fully legitimate and non-negotiable. He claimed that the government and its leadership are in panic and therefore, targeting students and opposition leaders.

In a social-media post earlier on Thursday, Rahul Gandhi said, "Right now, MPs and leaders of the INDIA bloc are peacefully heading to Gandhi Smriti on Tees January Marg. We go to remember the students we lost -- the children driven to take their own lives after the NEET paper leak."

"And we go to stand with the students who lie injured today -- beaten for peacefully demanding justice and accountability. India's students are not alone. The entire Opposition stands with them and their demands," he added.

The Congress leaders present at Rahul Gandhi's residence also included party general secretaries Jairam Ramesh and K C Venugopal, besides senior leaders P Chidambaram, Pramod Tiwari, K Suresh, Kumari Selja and Priniti Shinde.

RJD's Sanjay Yadav, Sudhakar Singh and Misa Bharti, CPI-M's John Brittas, RSP's N K Premachandran, TMC's Mahua Moitra and Saugata Roy, among others, were also present.