Dramatic face-off near Jantar Mantar. Rahul and Priyanka sit on the road
In Short
A dramatic standoff unfolded near Jantar Mantar as Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and INDIA bloc leaders staged a road protest after being stopped by Delhi Police. The confrontation led to detentions, heated exchanges, and heightened political tensions in the capital.
As arguments between the police, MPs and Congress leaders continue, the situation is rapidly evolving. Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi said that they do not require permission to hold a dharna at Jantar Mantar. DCP Sachin Sharma and senior officers are trying to convince Rahul to end the protest.
On the other hand, Priyanka lay down on the road saying that she would not move. She alleged that they were thrown down. Police urged them not to escalate the situation. Delhi police have brought in female cops and are likely to remove her from there.
Three buses had left with party activists detained by police. Some activists went down the bus, but they were pulled out by police. NSUI activists became a little unruly and police had to detain them and take them away.
Renuka Chowdary criticised the government, saying that it could not protect women but was now “hiding in rat holes”. She said the Congress was the party that had won Independence for the country, adding that “blood runs in us” and that they would continue with the protests.
MPs, including Derek O’Brien and others, have been taken into custody. At one point, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra became angry with the media. “Yeh koi tarika hai?” she shouted at them, before asking, “What are you going here for? Go and ask the government.”
A heated exchange ensued between an ACP-rank police officer, as he was asking him to vacate the place, and Rahul Gandhi refusing to do so.
A Journey of Three Decades Time passes faster than we realise. What feels like a journey that began only yesterday has today grown into more than three decades of a meaningful and fulfilling life devoted to education, journalism, and the empowerment of young minds. My professional journey began with journalism training in New Delhi in 1979. I went on to work as an independent journalist, drawing on my fluency in both English and Telugu. Over the years, I have edited and worked on Telugu articles in both languages, an experience that strengthened my command of language and sharpened my understanding of society, people, and contemporary issues. Yet, my principal profession and enduring passion have always been teaching. My decision to become a teacher was not merely a career choice—it was a calling. Teaching offered me the rare privilege of inspiring young minds, guiding them through their formative years, and making a lasting difference in their lives. I found immense satisfaction in simplifying complex concepts, nurturing curiosity, encouraging independent thought, and building confidence among students. Every moment in the classroom—every question, every moment of discovery, and every spark of understanding—reminded me why I had chosen this path: to empower young people through knowledge, values, and essential life skills. My teaching career began at the grassroots level as a Montessori teacher and gradually progressed to the position of Vice Principal. I had the opportunity to work in reputed educational institutions, including Dilsukhnagar Public School in Hyderabad, where I shouldered both teaching and administrative responsibilities. Although I have always considered myself, at heart, a teacher, my administrative experience enabled me to understand and contribute to the education system from a much broader perspective. For my students, I have always tried to be an approachable and dependable presence—someone they could turn to not only for academic support, but also for guidance and emotional encouragement. At the same time, I developed a reputation as a firm disciplinarian who believed that integrity, fairness, responsibility, and discipline were fundamental to education. I was also consistently appreciated for maintaining clear communication with parents and staff and for ensuring that examinations and other academic processes were conducted with transparency, fairness, and efficiency. As my career progressed, however, I began to feel that academic education alone was not enough. This realization led me to work more closely with students following the SSC and CBSE curricula, while consciously bringing life-skills education into my teaching. I came to understand that education becomes truly meaningful when it prepares children not merely to pass examinations, but to face life. Teaching emotional resilience, self-reliance, social awareness, communication, decision-making, and other practical life skills often had a deeper and more lasting impact than academic achievement alone. I saw how these skills could help students navigate challenges with greater confidence, maturity, and responsibility. My academic background provided a strong foundation for this approach. My degree in Psychology from the University of Madras helped me develop a deeper understanding of young people's minds, their emotional needs, and the influence of their family and social environments. My M.A. in Telugu with First Class from Osmania University.
