INDIA Bloc Parties Unite in Protest Against Exam Paper Leaks, March Separately but Strike Together

Opposition parties from the INDIA bloc demonstrated unusual coordination on Tuesday evening, setting aside their frequent differences to support student protests against a spate of examination paper leaks. The strategy echoed a principle often cited by the late CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury: “March separately, strike together.”

At a morning meeting of the INDIA bloc on July 21, 2026, leaders reached a consensus that their support for the agitating students must extend beyond parliamentary debates. The opposition claims that 152 competitive examinations have been leaked in the past 12 years, but no agreement was reached on the specific mode of protest. Options discussed included a march to Rashtrapati Bhavan, but were ultimately rejected.

In Parliament, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to demand a debate on the student agitation. After the meeting, Gandhi addressed reporters, while Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav stood nearby and delivered a similar message, criticising the government’s failure to address problems in the education system. Gandhi and other leaders later visited Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital to speak to injured students, while CPI(M) and CPI parliamentarians went to Jantar Mantar, the epicentre of the protests.

Around 3:00 p.m., Congress parliamentarians marched to the Prime Minister’s residence. Many were unaware of the plan until moments earlier, having gathered at Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence under the impression it was his 84th birthday celebration. The Congress initially did not invite other opposition leaders to the march.

As the crowd at the protest site grew, the Congress placed calls to other parties, but not all responded. According to sources, Akhilesh Yadav expressed disappointment at not being informed earlier but described it as a “small inconvenience” and promptly joined the protest along with Lok Sabha MP Dharmendra Yadav. Both were detained alongside Rahul Gandhi.

NCP (SP)’s Supriya Sule joined the Congress protest, while her father, Sharad Pawar, visited students at Jantar Mantar. Sule’s participation was notable amid speculation of another possible split in her party that could help the government reach a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha. In a post on X, Sule condemned the police action against Gandhi and others, calling it “an affront to democratic norms and constitutional values.” Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray also visited Jantar Mantar separately.

The coordinated protests, despite last-minute planning and separate marches, highlighted a rare moment of unity among the opposition bloc, which has often been criticised for infighting.