In his first public reaction to the ongoing protest in the heart of Delhi police action against agitators, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday accused Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and the Congress of using students as “political tools” to create disruption during the Monsoon Session of Parliament.

His remarks came after Rahul Gandhi alongside Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other Congress leaders staged a dharna outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence over the police action during the protestors’ “Sansad Chalo” march. 

Acknowledginging the protesters’ demands centred around student grievances, Pradhan said the government owed students “answers, reforms and accountability” and remained focused on delivering them.

“LoP Shri Rahul Gandhi and the Congress continue to shamelessly exploit students as political tools to manufacture disruption during the Monsoon Session of Parliament,” Pradhan said in a post on X.

‘Political spectacle over democratic debate’ Pradhan on INC’s role in protest

Pradhan alleged that the Congress protest had caused inconvenience to the public and disregarded established security protocols around the Prime Minister’s residence.

He said the party had continued with the protest despite the government conveying its willingness to hold a comprehensive discussion on the concerns raised by students.

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“Even after the 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,” he said.

Pradhan also directly targeted Gandhi, alleging that the protest was aimed at creating confrontation rather than finding a resolution.

“For Rahul Gandhi, this is not about students. This is about manufacturing confrontation after every genuine avenue for discussion has been opened,” he said.

The minister declared that the government remained “100% committed” to discussing NEET and addressing every genuine concern 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.

“We owe our students more than outrage. We owe them answers, reforms and accountability. That is exactly what our government remains committed to delivering,” Pradhan added.

Congress sit-in follows Jantar Mantar clashes

Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other Congress leaders began their sit-in near the Prime Minister’s residence at around 3.30 pm on Tuesday. They were later detained by the police.

According to The Indian Express, the government had sent Union Minister Jitendra Singh to hold talks with Gandhi. The talks, however, failed to produce a breakthrough. Singh claimed that Gandhi added to his demands after the government accepted his call for a discussion on NEET in Parliament.

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The Congress protest followed Monday’s CJP-led march from Jantar Mantar towards Parliament that saw thousands of protestors demanding Pradhan’s resignation over what they called out as a ‘failure of NTA and education ministry’ in preventing repetitive examination paper leaks of examinations such as NEET.

The march witnessed clashes between protesters and security personnel. Delhi Police on Monday had claimed that around 180 people had been left injured as a part of the protests which included 118 police and security personnel and 60 protesters. 

The CJP, however, has claimed a much higher count of protestors that were left injured as a result of the police’s lathi charge and teargas operations against agitators in Delhi. 

Furthermore, Delhi police on Monday had registered five FIRs under provisions related to rioting, damage to property and assault on public servants. Police also alleged that protesters vandalised government vehicles and damaged public property.

Protesters regroup at Jantar Mantar

Thousands of protesters regrouped at Jantar Mantar on Tuesday despite rain, a day after security forces removed tents and parts of the main stage at the protest site.

A few hundred protesters had returned to the site late on Monday night itself. The agitation continued on Tuesday as protesters reiterated their demands for accountability and reforms to the examination system.

Earlier today, social activist and educator Sonam Wangchuk was discharged from Safdarjung Hospital and shifted to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram for further treatment in compliance with a Delhi High Court which was passed after the matter for a transfer was taken to court by Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali Jain Angmo.