No debate without Pradhan’s resignation, opposition tells government. as they hit the streets

Congress President Rahul Gandhi and others pay their respects at the Gandhi Smriti Park in New Delhi on July 23, 2026. | Photo credit: Shashi Shekhar Kashyap

The opposition has kept up pressure on the government inside and outside Parliament, rejecting the government’s offer to discuss the paper leaks, saying any discussion must be preceded by the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Later in the evening, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi led Indian MPs in a symbolic march to the Gandhi Smriti on Tees January Marg, where Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated, and expressed solidarity with students protesting against the paper leak.

“Our leader Mahatma Gandhi was murdered here. Today the Modi government is murdering democracy in India, torturing students and beating them,” Gandhi told reporters at the Gandhi Smriti after paying tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.

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Road blocked

He said opposition parties would not accept such treatment of students and demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi apologize and recall Mr. Pradhan. The evening’s symbolic opposition march was not without its drama, as Delhi Police blocked access points on Sunehri Bagh Road, where Mr Gandhi’s official residence is located.

After Mr Gandhi took the unprecedented step of sitting on a dharna outside the Prime Minister’s residence on Tuesday, the government deployed two buses of CRPF and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel near his residence. In addition, a bus was placed off the road, blocking the bus with the opposition MPs.

Opposition parties also had to change the venue of their evening vigil after they were not allowed to gather at India Gate. Top opposition leaders including Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and P. Chidambaram, CPI(M)’s John Brittas, NCP’s Supriya Sule and RJD’s Manoj Jha were part of the solidarity march.

More joint campaigns

The evening march was a result of what was decided in the morning meeting of the INDIA bloc, and more such joint campaigns are planned. According to sources, there were some stray voices at the INDIA bloc meeting on Thursday morning advocating that the opposition should participate in the debate and present its point of view. However, this view was immediately rejected by others who felt that Mr. Pradhan’s resignation must take precedence over everything else, in accordance with public sentiment.

Mr Gandhi and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav argued strongly that no concession could be made to this demand. The Leader of the Opposition said the mood of the nation was “combative” and the opposition needed to reflect that. He repeated his comments from Wednesday’s meeting that there should be synchronization between what the opposition does inside parliament and what it does outside it. Mr. Gandhi also argued that the actions of the opposition needed to be democratized.

Reflect public sentiment

Moreover, it was believed that the debate would provide the government with an opportunity to step out and make its way through by relying on its numerical strength in the two houses of Parliament. It was unanimously decided that as “representatives of the public”, the opposition must reflect public opinion without giving the government any space.

Meanwhile, the Opposition reacted strongly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s post in X. CPI(M) Rajya Sabha President John Brittas said accountability must start at the top and argued that fast-track courts cannot address the systemic failures behind the paper leak. Accusing the government of systematically weakening the education system through policies that promote the “commercialisation, centralization and communalisation” of education, CPI general secretary D Raja said the prime minister’s remarks failed to address students’ concerns. RJD leader Manoj K. Jha termed the remarks as an attempt to “deceive the nation”.

Published – 23 Jul 2026 21:39 IST