NEW DELHI: Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday criticised the Centre over the police action against students protesting in the national capital, questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the issue and demanding an apology for the crackdown.
Speaking outside Parliament, Gandhi said the Prime Minister should address the incident and respond to the concerns of students who were injured during the police action. He also announced that he and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi would visit the injured protesters undergoing treatment at Delhi’s Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital.
Ahead of the day’s proceedings in Parliament, Rahul Gandhi, along with Opposition MPs, met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and sought a detailed discussion on the police action and the ongoing examination controversy. He argued that Parliament should debate issues affecting the country’s youth, particularly allegations of irregularities in competitive examinations and the treatment of protesting students.
The Congress leader said the Opposition would continue raising the issue both inside and outside Parliament, insisting that the concerns of students should not be ignored.
The protests erupted after thousands of students marched towards Parliament demanding accountability over alleged examination irregularities, including the NEET paper leak. The demonstration led to clashes with police, who used tear gas and lathi charges to disperse the crowd after protesters approached high security areas near Parliament. More than 100 police personnel and over 60 protesters reportedly sustained injuries during the confrontation.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also called for an immediate discussion in Parliament on the police action. He questioned the government’s handling of the protests and demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, holding him morally and politically responsible for the examination controversy.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during the NDA Parliamentary Party meeting, stressed the need for the strictest action against those responsible for the NEET paper leak and called for the development of a robust and foolproof examination system to protect the interests of students across the country.
