Rahul, Priyanka, Nadda, Kejriwal: Politicians stream into Delhi hospitals to visit injured protesters

New Delhi: Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Tuesday visited Delhi’s Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital to meet students injured during Monday’s police action following the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) march to Parliament, as political leaders across parties stepped up their attacks over the crackdown.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda also separately visited the hospital during the day.

“Students are being beaten up by the police. This is completely wrong. Prime Minister Narendra Modi should apologise, and Dharmendra Pradhan should resign,” Rahul Gandhi said.

Calling the issue larger than education alone, Gandhi said the concerns raised by students reflected growing anxiety over their future and employment prospects, adding that the government had failed to address the aspirations of young people.

Several students were admitted to RML Hospital for treatment after the march to Parliament turned violent on Monday. The CJP organised the march over issues including alleged paper leaks, recruitment delays and demands for reforms in the education system.

Delhi Police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowd as clashes broke out at multiple locations in central Delhi. According to Delhi Police, more than 118 police personnel sustained injuries during the violence, while around 60 protesters were also injured. 

Priyanka Gandhi said the Congress had repeatedly raised the issue of paper leaks, but the government had failed to act.

“The students should be heard and the education minister should resign,” she said, alleging that the Opposition was not allowed to discuss the issue in Parliament despite seeking a debate on the police action against students.

Congress president and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge also criticised the government’s handling of the protests, alleging that Parliament was not allowed to function on the issue. 

He questioned the police action against the students and accused the Centre of creating “anarchy” instead of addressing their concerns.

“Yesterday, students protesting on the streets were lathi-charged, leaving many of them hospitalised. Is this democracy? If such issues cannot be discussed even in Parliament, then where should they be raised?” Kharge said.

Earlier in the day, Kejriwal visited the hospital along with AAP leaders Sanjay Singh and Saurabh Bharadwaj, and met students undergoing treatment.

In a post on X after the visit, Kejriwal said he had met students injured in what he described as the Modi government’s “brutality” during the Parliament march and assured them that the AAP would extend every possible assistance.

Later, J.P. Nadda also reached RML Hospital and reviewed the treatment being provided to those injured in Monday’s clashes. 

Nadda interacted with the injured and held a meeting with doctors to assess their condition and the medical care being provided before leaving the hospital.

(Edited by Sugita Katyal)

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