Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday criticised Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi over the party’s protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence, accusing the Congress of using students as political tools amid the ongoing controversy over examination paper leaks.
The remarks followed a demonstration led by Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other senior party leaders near the Prime Minister’s residence. The protesters demanded action over the alleged NEET paper leak and other examination-related irregularities, while also raising concerns over the alleged police action against students who participated in the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) march to Parliament on Monday.
Police later dispersed the protest and detained Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and several other Congress leaders before releasing them later that night.
Reacting to the demonstration, Pradhan said the Centre had already agreed to a comprehensive discussion on examination paper leaks and related concerns during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament. He alleged that despite the government’s readiness for a parliamentary debate, the Congress had chosen to pursue a political protest instead.
In a post on X, the Union Minister accused the Congress of choosing “political spectacle over democratic debate” and claimed that the party was not seeking solutions for students but disruption for political headlines.
Pradhan further alleged that Rahul Gandhi was prioritising political optics over constructive engagement, asserting that the Congress continued to seek confrontation despite the government having opened the way for discussion on the issue in Parliament.
The confrontation came amid escalating political tensions over allegations of examination paper leaks and concerns regarding the integrity of competitive examinations. While opposition parties have demanded greater accountability from the government, the Centre has maintained that it is prepared to address the issue through parliamentary discussion.
