Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi criticized the government for its handling of student protests at Jantar Mantar against NEET paper leaks. Gandhi demanded an ‘unconditional’ apology from the government for the ‘brutal’ crackdown on the protesting students. He highlighted that the students were voicing concerns about the ‘broken’ education system and condemned the use of force to suppress their protests.
Gandhi directly called out the government and the Prime Minister, urging them to apologize for the lathi charge on the students. He emphasized the need for an honest review of the education system instead of resorting to violence against the protesters. Gandhi expressed his dismay over the use of force, stating that it was unacceptable and called for the Prime Minister to address the situation and put an end to the police actions.
The Congress leader emphasized that the youth of the country were protesting against the flawed education and testing system, which he described as being ‘hollowed out by termites’ and irreparably damaged. He noted that the Congress party had consistently advocated for reforms in the education sector but their concerns had been disregarded by the government.
Gandhi also criticized Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, accusing him of bias in public debates. He met with Birla to demand a discussion on the police actions against the students. Following the meeting, Gandhi took to social media to call for a detailed parliamentary discussion on the brutality faced by the students and the government’s lack of accountability in handling the examination crisis.
As the Congress intensified its protest against the police crackdown on the student demonstrations, the Parliament faced disruptions over issues such as paper leaks and donation controversies, potentially leading to another day of legislative washout.
