Opp slams govt over crackdown on protesters
New Delhi, July 20: Opposition parties on Monday launched a blistering attack on the government over the police action against the CJP-led protest during the ‘Chalo Sansad’ march on the NEET paper leak issue, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi dubbing Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the “most anti-youth” PM in the country’s history.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) accused the Delhi Police of using excessive force against protesters to prevent them from reaching Parliament, alleging that several students were injured and activist Sonam Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, was pushed around.
Delhi Police, however, denied that Angmo was assaulted, saying the reports were “completely false and misleading”. “No individuals were subjected to targeted assault,” it said.
Opposition parties protested over the NEET paper leak issue in Parliament and demanded a discussion, stalling proceedings on the opening day of the Monsoon session.
Taking to X, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said, “Prime Minister Modi is the ‘most anti-youth’ Prime Minister in India’s history. He’s so ‘anti-youth’ that he can’t even take the resignation of a failed Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan.
“152 paper leaks. 7.5 crore students victimised. And not a single guilty person punished. Who got the punishment? The hardworking youth.” He also attached a video message with his post in which he criticised the government and the police and termed the demands of protesters as “legitimate”.
Gandhi said peaceful protest is an “inviolable and fundamental right. The video also showed pictures of protesting students being beaten up by the cops.
Gandhi said when children raise legitimate questions about education, they are met with batons and detention in response.
“The criminals who leaked the papers roam free and the students raising valid issues are dragged around, beaten. This government is not just failing the youth, it is pouncing on them,” the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha said.
In a post on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the government of “crushing” the students and youth by lathi-charging them for raising the NEET paper leak issue, and said this government is not fit to be in power as it does not know how to conduct examinations.
Kharge, who is the leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha, first raised the issue in the House soon after the obituary references were made by the Chairman.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra demanded a detailed discussion on the paper leak issue in Parliament and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi respond to the concerns of the country’s youth.
Left parties accused the BJP-led Centre of suppressing democratic dissent and reiterated their demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Pradhan.
TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee condemned the police action against students and youth protesting, accusing the Centre of responding to dissent with force instead of dialogue.
On the CJP Parliament March, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said, “The government did not anticipate that students would turn up in such large numbers. This is a massive failure, because of which people have gathered here. You (the government) are unable to conduct the NEET exam properly, and the irregularities in the exam that was held involved BJP members. Even the re-conducted exam is facing scrutiny.”
Kejriwal appealed to the Centre to “listen to the youth” instead of ordering a lathi charge against protesters.
In a video message on X, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader urged the government to “drop the arrogance and listen to the youth”.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray dubbed the BJP-led regime at the Centre “anti-India” for cracking down on protestors in New Delhi.
Dimple Yadav allegedly detained in Lucknow
Samajwadi Party leaders and workers on Monday staged a protest in Lucknow in support of students demonstrating over the NEET issue at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
According to a statement issued by the party, the protest was also held against the alleged detention of SP Members of Parliament, led by party MP Dimple Yadav, during a demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi in support of NEET aspirants. (PTI)
