Govt Ready for NEET Discussion, Congress Opted for Disruption: Dharmendra Pradhan

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and the Congress, accusing them of exploiting students for political gains in the wake of the police crackdown on Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protesters during the “Chalo Sansad” march.

In his first public response to the controversy, Pradhan alleged that the Congress was attempting to create disruption during the Monsoon Session of Parliament instead of working towards a solution to the NEET paper leak issue.

Taking to X, the minister said Rahul Gandhi and the Congress staged a protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence despite the Centre conveying its willingness to hold a comprehensive discussion on the matter in Parliament.

“Rahul Gandhi and the Congress continue to shamelessly exploit students as political tools to manufacture disruption during the Monsoon Session of Parliament,” Pradhan said.

His remarks came hours after Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and several Congress leaders held a sit-in outside the Prime Minister’s residence to protest against the alleged police action on students demanding accountability over the NEET paper leak. The demonstration ended with police detaining several Opposition leaders before releasing them later.

Pradhan alleged that the protest caused inconvenience to the public and ignored established security protocols. He also accused the Congress of choosing “political spectacle over democratic debate” despite the government’s agreement to discuss the issue in Parliament.

“Their objective was never solutions for students; it was disruption for political headlines,” the minister said, adding that Rahul Gandhi was attempting to manufacture confrontation even after the government had opened “every genuine avenue for discussion.”

Reaffirming the Centre’s position, Pradhan said the government remained “100% committed” to debating the NEET paper leak and addressing students’ concerns on the floor of Parliament.

“The students of India deserve certainty over chaos, solutions over slogans and responsibility over disruption,” he said, adding that the government remained committed to delivering “answers, reforms and accountability” to students.