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Gandhi’s detention and bleeding nose image energised Congress as Opposition pressure mounted over NEET paper leak.

It was a humid afternoon in Delhi on Tuesday, July 21, when Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, after attending the birthday greetings programme of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, decided to march to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg. The sit-in protest over the NEET paper leak issue and his detention, during which he sustained a nose injury that left him bleeding, gained traction and gave party workers new energy to fight across the country.

The march to the Prime Minister’s residence was kept secret from all party MPs. After the photo-op at Kharge’s residence at 10 Rajaji Marg, Gandhi asked them to follow him. A party source said the sit-in protest was known to only four leaders — Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Kharge and party general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal.

However, the situation at the protest outside 7 LKM turned tense after almost five hours when Delhi Police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel started forcibly removing the Congress MPs from the site.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule also joined the sit-in protest. However, all of them were detained.

During the police action outside 7 LKM, Rahul Gandhi stood firm, even when his nose was injured and started bleeding.

The photographs shared by the party on social media, however, conveyed the message that its biggest leader was out on the streets to fight for the cause of students and against alleged police excesses during the July 20 Jantar Mantar-to-Parliament march.

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi downplayed the issue of being punched by police personnel and sustaining injuries.

When asked about the incident during a press conference, Rahul Gandhi said, “Couple of punches is not a problem at all, I am happy to take many more for people.”

“It was fine, I am used to getting punched, it is not a problem, it was fine. My job is to express the will of India’s people, whether it is the will of students, farmers, young people, it is the job I am supposed to do as the Leader of Opposition.

I am supposed to become an expression of the voice of India’s people. I am supposed to bring attention to where pain is being felt. These are very small costs, these are not big costs,” the former Congress chief said.

“It is a huge honour for me to do this — to be able to stand with the wishes of my people. Couple of punches and all is not a problem at all, I am happy to take many more,” he added.

Referring to the police action to end his sit-in outside the Prime Minister’s residence, the former Congress chief said it was correct that police personnel “dragged” him away but claimed that they whispered “remove this government” in his ear.

“’Main Rajasthan ka hu, inko (government) hataiye… main Haryana ka hoon, inko hataiye’,” police personnel that removed Gandhi were quoted by him as saying, to peals of laughter.

“So that sentiment is there. Everyone knows the truth, sensible police people feel it is a crime to the future of our country,” he said.

Even his sister, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, while commenting on Rahul Gandhi’s bleeding nose and police excesses with the Congress leaders, said, “What happened to us is irrelevant. We are standing with the students and raising their voice.

“What happened to the students, was it right or wrong? They are all young students. They are protesting, and this is not just any protest. It is a genuine issue, a genuine problem. Every parent in this country knows it. Every student in this country knows it. Every teacher in this country knows it. Everyone knows this is a genuine issue,” the Congress MP said.

On Saturday, Rahul Gandhi once again trained his guns on the government.

Responding to a question from Read about several universities issuing advisories to their students not to join the protest at Jantar Mantar or face strict action, he said, “If you have to shut, shut it. If you have to threaten, then give threats. We are not going to leave. They (students) are not going to leave. This (students) are the future of India. See them properly, no one can fight them. Narendra Modi is India’s past. The past can never fight the future.”

On Saturday, Pradhan resigned as education minister amid pressure from the students as well as from the United opposition.

A party insider said that the way in which Rahul Gandhi has raised the issue of Pradhan’s resignation and stood by students has given strength to the students, who are protesting across the country.

The insider also said that the way in which Rahul Gandhi raised this issue in Parliament and on the streets mounted immense pressure on the government.

The party leader said that Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other Opposition leaders, including Misa Bharti, Manoj Ha and Sougata Das, along with leaders of other Opposition parties, joining the candlelight march at Gandhi Smriti on Thursday also put the government on the back foot, as the united Opposition had stalled Parliament for five consecutive days.

The party insider also said that Rahul Gandhi’s bloodied-nose picture gave strength to the Congress movement across the country, as party leaders in every state capital had held massive protests and faced police action. And with the resignation of Pradhan, the Congress has got a massive victory over the government, as the grand old party will now raise several issues inside and outside Parliament to corner the government, he added.