Dharmendra Pradhan accuses Rahul Gandhi of exploiting students for political headlines amid NEET protests

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday broke his silence on the student protests and the Opposition's demand for his resignation, accusing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of exploiting students for political gains and choosing "political spectacle over democratic debate".

In a post on X, Pradhan alleged that Rahul Gandhi and the Congress staged a protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence to manufacture disruption during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, despite the government conveying its willingness to hold a comprehensive discussion on issues related to NEET and the ongoing agitation.

"LoP Shri Rahul Gandhi and INCIndia continue to shamelessly exploit students as political tools to manufacture disruption during the Monsoon Session of Parliament," Pradhan said.

He alleged that the protest outside the Prime Minister's residence caused inconvenience to the public and disregarded established security protocols.

"Even after Government conveyed its readiness for a comprehensive discussion, the Congress chose political spectacle over democratic debate. Their objective was never solutions for students, it was disruption for political headlines," the minister said.

Pradhan further said the government remained "100% committed" to discussing NEET and addressing the concerns of students on the floor of Parliament.

"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, adding that the government remained committed to delivering "answers, reforms and accountability".

The statement marks Pradhan's first public response since protests demanding his resignation gathered momentum.

The protests, spearheaded by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and backed by Opposition parties, have sought Pradhan's resignation over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, including the NEET controversy. Activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on an indefinite fast since June 28, has also backed the demand.

On Monday, thousands of students marched towards Parliament seeking Pradhan's resignation, resulting in clashes with the Delhi Police, which used tear gas and a lathicharge before detaining several protesters. While CJP has continued its indefinite sit-in at Jantar Mantar, student groups in multiple cities have also held demonstrations in support of the agitation, keeping the issue at the centre of the political debate.

Earlier on Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and several other Opposition leaders were detained by Delhi Police after staging a dharna near the Prime Minister's residence in support of the ongoing student agitation.