Why Rahul Gandhi’s Absence Is Sparking Questions Amid Jantar Mantar Protest And Wayanad Tragedy

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s absence from both the protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar over alleged examination irregularities and Wayanad, where a landslide last week claimed at least eight lives, has triggered criticism from political opponents as well as some voices backing the protest movement.

While Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly criticised the BJP-led government over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination and recently interacted with students in Kota, his absence from the protest has drawn attention, HT reported.

Sonam Wangchuk Questions Opposition’s Stand

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar for more than two weeks, said Opposition parties, including the Congress, risk being rejected by the public if they fail to support the youth-led protest launched by the Cockroach Janta Party over alleged NEET irregularities.

In an interview with The Indian Express, Wangchuk said it would reflect the Opposition’s “pettiness” if it chose not to participate in the agitation.

The protest has emerged as an unusual public challenge to the Narendra Modi government.

Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to address a public meeting with students in Dehradun on July 17 as part of the Congress’ “Chhatron Ki Goonj” (Voice of the Students) campaign, which is demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged paper leaks. The same demand has also been raised by the Cockroach Janta Party.

BJP Targets Rahul Over Wayanad

The BJP also criticised Rahul Gandhi over his absence from Wayanad, one of the two Lok Sabha constituencies he won in the 2024 general election and which is now represented by his sister, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

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Rahul Gandhi retained the Amethi Lok Sabha seat while Wayanad was later represented by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Referring to the absence of both leaders from Wayanad following the landslide, the BJP posted lyrics from a popular Hindi film song on X, “Chithhi na koi sandesh, jaane wo kaun sa desh, jahaan tum chale gaye (No letter, no message, who knows which country you’ve gone off to).”

चिट्ठी ना कोई संदेश… जाने वो कौन सा देश, जहां राहुल गांधी चले गए! 🤔✈️

आजकल सोशल मीडिया के इस दौर में जहां लोग अपने जीवन के छोटे से छोटे पल और ट्रिप को ऑनलाइन अपडेट करते हैं, वहीं भारत के नेता प्रतिपक्ष राहुल गांधी पिछले 20 दिनों से सार्वजनिक परिदृश्य से पूरी तरह ओझल हैं।

वह… pic.twitter.com/D8jQxX0ATi

— BJP (@BJP4India) July 14, 2026

“In this era of social media nowadays, where people update their tiniest life moments and trips online, meanwhile, India’s Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has been completely out of sight from the public scene for the past 20 days,” the BJP said in its post.

“No information has been shared about which country he is in or when he will return. In a democracy, the public expects transparency from its leaders at every step, especially when they are the biggest face of the country’s second-largest political party. The Congress party, which is constantly aggressive about the government’s policies and the Prime Minister’s tours, why is it so silent on its leader’s this long absence?” it added.

BJP Leaders Step Up Attack

BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi also criticised Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra over their absence from Wayanad.

राहुल गांधी जी 2019 में अपनी पारंपरिक खानदानी सीट से ‘ज़मीन’ गँवाने के बाद वायनाड की ‘ज़मीन’ से लोकसभा पहुंचे थे। बाद में उन्होंने यह सीट प्रियंका गांधी जी को देते हुए कहा था कि वायनाड को “दो-दो सांसद” मिलेंगे। लेकिन आज जब वायनाड भारी वर्षा और ज़मीन खिसकने जैसी दुखद त्रासदी से… pic.twitter.com/gd6olnL6KE

— Dr. Sudhanshu Trivedi (@SudhanshuTrived) July 13, 2026

“The people of Wayanad and Kerala want to know where their MPs are in this hour of crisis. It’s not even known in which corner of the world they are. Those who gained a political base from Wayanad are not to be seen on the ground in its most difficult time today. This seems like a tragic joke with the people of Wayanad and Kerala, for which the Gandhi family should apologize to the people of Wayanad and Kerala,” Trivedi posted on X.

Opposition Leaders Extend Support To Protest

On Monday, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray urged Rahul Gandhi to visit Jantar Mantar and express solidarity with the ongoing protest.

Expressing his own support for the Cockroach Janta Party and Sonam Wangchuk, Thackeray said, “I will also go. Rahul Gandhi ji should also go. All those who have faith in the country’s youth should go. People across the entire country should come out on the streets and support them.”

Thackeray is scheduled to visit Jantar Mantar on July 20 to join the protest.

While several Opposition leaders have publicly backed the Cockroach Janta Party, the Congress has not formally announced its support, although it has been raising the issue of alleged examination irregularities for several months.

Leaders from the Aam Aadmi Party, Trinamool Congress and the CPI have either visited the protest site or expressed solidarity with the movement.

Among those who have backed the protest are AAP MP Sanjay Singh and former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, TMC leaders Mahua Moitra and Kirti Azad, and CPI(M) leaders M.A. Baby, Brinda Karat and K.K. Shailaja.

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