Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were detained by Delhi police Tuesday after staging a sit-in protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence [1].

The detention marks an escalation in the Congress party's efforts to pressure the central government following a series of national controversies and protests. It signals a direct confrontation between the opposition leadership and the Prime Minister's office.

The protest occurred at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg in New Delhi [3]. Gandhi and Gandhi Vadra, along with other Congress leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, led the demonstration to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Modi [5]. The action followed a march to Parliament by the Cockroach Janta Party [4].

Reports on the nature of the event vary. Some accounts describe the event as a peaceful dharna led by Congress leaders, while others report violent clashes with Delhi police. The sit-in lasted for more than two hours before police intervened [2].

"The protest turned violent, and we had to detain the leaders for a few hours," a Delhi Police spokesperson said [6]. The leaders were held for a hours-long period before being released later that day [5].

Rahul Gandhi expressed a commitment to further action during the event. "We will continue the protest overnight," Gandhi said [7].

The ruling party reacted sharply to the demonstration. Amit Shah, the BJP chief, criticized the move and the broader opposition strategy. "The opposition is an emerging symbol of anarchy," Shah said [8].

“The opposition is an emerging symbol of anarchy.”

The detention of high-profile Gandhi family members at the Prime Minister's residence underscores the deepening volatility between India's ruling BJP and the opposition Congress party. By moving the protest from public squares like Jantar Mantar directly to the Prime Minister's doorstep, the opposition is attempting to personalize the political crisis and maximize visibility for their demands for resignation.