Dharmendra Pradhan attacks Rahul Gandhi after protest outside PM’s residence, says Congress chose politics over Parliament debate
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday accused Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and the Congress of using students as political tools following the police crackdown on CJP’s Chalo Sansad protest. The education minister alleged that the Opposition was attempting to disrupt the Monsoon Session of Parliament instead of engaging in a debate on the NEET issue.
In a post on X, Pradhan said the government was ready for a detailed discussion on the alleged NEET paper leak in Parliament but the Congress preferred protests over democratic debate.
Reacting to the Congress protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence, Pradhan alleged that Rahul Gandhi was attempting to manufacture political confrontation. “LoP Shri Rahul Gandhi and INC continue to shamelessly exploit students as political tools to manufacture disruption during the Monsoon Session of Parliament,” Pradhan said. He claimed the government had already conveyed its willingness to discuss the NEET issue in Parliament. “Their objective was never solutions for students, it was disruption to make political headlines,” he said.
Pradhan added that the Centre remained committed to addressing students’ concerns and strengthening the examination system. “The students of India deserve far better than being treated as props in a political campaign. They deserve certainty over chaos, solutions over slogans and responsibility over disruption,” he said.
Pradhan’s remarks came hours after Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and several Opposition leaders staged a protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official residence over the alleged police action against students during the CJP protest.
Delhi Police detained several leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, before releasing them later in the day. Apart from them, several Congress leaders, including Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V.D. Satheesan, also participated in the protest.
After Rahul Gandhi’s release, Priyanka Gandhi said the Opposition had resorted to protesting outside the Prime Minister’s residence because it was allegedly not being allowed to raise the issue elsewhere.
The Centre criticised the Congress protest, describing it as a security concern and accusing the Opposition of setting a wrong and dangerous precedent. The Centre believed that the protests outside the residences of political leaders were not a feature of mature democracies and could create security risks.
The political confrontation follows the violence during Monday’s CJP ‘Chalo Sansad’ march, organised over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, including NEET and the demand for Pradhan’s resignation.
The march ended with clashes after police used expired tear gas, stone pelting and lathis to disperse protesters. Officials said more than 100 Delhi Police and paramilitary personnel were injured, while over 70 protesters were detained during the violence.