Telangana Congress leaders detained in 'Chalo Lok Bhavan' march, Hyderabad
Synopsis
Hyderabad Police stopped a Congress march at Khairatabad Crossroads on 22 July, detaining TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud, ministers, and dozens of workers. The 'Chalo Lok Bhavan' rally was a direct response to the detention of Rahul Gandhi and senior Congress leaders in New Delhi — and a sign that the NEET paper-leak controversy is now driving street-level political mobilisation across Telangana.
Key Takeaways
Hyderabad Police detained TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud , minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy , and other Congress leaders on 22 July during the 'Chalo Lok Bhavan' march.
Detainees were taken to Nampally Police Station and Punjagutta Police Station .
The rally was stopped at Khairatabad Crossroads after starting from the Indira Gandhi statue at Necklace Road .
Protests spread to Hanamkonda , Khammam , and Kodangal , with Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and CM A.
Revanth Reddy participating.
The demonstrations were triggered by the detention of Rahul Gandhi , Priyanka Gandhi , and Mallikarjun Kharge in New Delhi on 21 July .
Congress leaders demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET question paper leak .
Hyderabad Police on Wednesday, 22 July detained several senior Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) leaders and workers as they marched towards Lok Bhavan in Hyderabad, protesting the detention of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other party members during demonstrations outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence in New Delhi the previous day. The rally, held under the 'Chalo Lok Bhavan' call, was stopped by police at Khairatabad Crossroads.
Who Was Detained and Where
TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud, state minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, government advisor Mohammed Ali Shabbir, Balmori Venkat, Rohin Reddy, and several other Congress leaders were among those detained. Police shifted Goud and the ministers to Nampally Police Station, while the remaining leaders and workers were taken to Punjagutta Police Station.
How the Protest Unfolded
A large number of Congress leaders and workers gathered at the Indira Gandhi statue at Necklace Road in response to the TPCC president's call, carrying party banners and flags and raising slogans as they marched towards Lok Bhavan. Ministers Damodar Rajanarasimha, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, and Mohammed Azharuddin also participated in the rally before police intervened.
What Congress Leaders Said
Speaking to media persons, TPCC chief Mahesh Kumar Goud described the detention of Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders as 'an attack on democracy,' asserting that the Modi government would fail in its attempts to silence the opposition. Minister Srinivas Reddy said Telugu people were condemning the detention of Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and other Congress leaders.
Protests Spread Across Telangana
Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and ministers Ponnam Prabhakar and Konda Surekha held a separate protest in Hanamkonda. Vikramarka termed the police lathi charge on students protesting in New Delhi as 'inhuman,' stating that the students had been peacefully demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET question paper leak. He added that people had expected Modi to either sack or seek Pradhan's resignation, but the government instead attempted to suppress the voice of youth. In Khammam, Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao led a large rally. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had earlier led a protest in Kodangal, Vikarabad district, also reiterating the demand for Pradhan's resignation.
The Broader Context
The Hyderabad demonstrations are part of a nationwide Congress protest wave triggered by the detention of senior party leaders — including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Kharge — during a march to the Prime Minister's residence in New Delhi on Tuesday, 21 July. The protests are directly linked to the NEET paper-leak controversy, which has drawn sustained opposition pressure on the Centre over alleged irregularities in the medical entrance examination.
Point of View
Deputy Chief Minister, and multiple cabinet ministers within hours — signals how politically potent the NEET paper-leak issue has become for the ruling party in the state. But there is a layered dynamic here: Telangana Congress is simultaneously the state's ruling party and the national opposition, a dual role that makes protest optics easier but also raises questions about whether the outrage is principled or performative. The detention of Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi has given state units a ready-made rallying point, allowing them to conflate the NEET accountability demand with a broader anti-Centre narrative. Whether that translates into sustained pressure on Dharmendra Pradhan — or fades once the news cycle moves — will determine the political value of Wednesday's demonstrations.
NationPress
22 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why were Telangana Congress leaders detained in Hyderabad on 22 July?
Hyderabad Police detained TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud and other Congress leaders on 22 July as they marched towards Lok Bhavan under the 'Chalo Lok Bhavan' call. The march was held to protest the detention of Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Kharge during a Congress demonstration outside the Prime Minister's residence in New Delhi on 21 July.
Who were the key Congress leaders detained in Hyderabad?
TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud, state minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, government advisor Mohammed Ali Shabbir, Balmori Venkat, and Rohin Reddy were among those detained. Goud and the ministers were shifted to Nampally Police Station, while other leaders and workers were taken to Punjagutta Police Station.
What is the NEET paper-leak controversy linked to these protests?
The NEET controversy refers to alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) question paper, which opposition parties say compromised the medical entrance examination. Congress has demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the leak, and protests against the Centre on this issue triggered the broader confrontation in New Delhi on 21 July.
Did protests take place elsewhere in Telangana?
Yes. Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka led protests in Hanamkonda, Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao participated in a rally in Khammam, and Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy led a protest in Kodangal, Vikarabad district, all reiterating the demand for Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation.
What did Telangana Congress leaders say about the detentions?
TPCC chief Mahesh Kumar Goud called the detention of Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders 'an attack on democracy' and said the Modi government would fail in its attempts to stop Rahul Gandhi. Deputy CM Vikramarka described the police lathi charge on student protesters in New Delhi as 'inhuman.'
