"We owe students answers, reforms, accountability": Dharmendra Pradhan slams Congress protest

New Delhi [India], July 22 (ANI): Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday slammed the Congress protest outside the residence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said the government "owes students more than outrage", accusing Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi of "shamelessly exploiting students as political tools".
"LoP Shri @RahulGandhi and @INCIndia continue to shamelessly exploit students as political tools to manufacture disruption during the Monsoon Session of Parliament. Shri @RahulGandhi and @INCIndia chose to stage a dharna outside the Hon'ble Prime Minister's residence ,causing inconvenience to the public and disregarding established security protocols," Pradhan wrote on X.

LoP Shri @RahulGandhi and @INCIndia continue to shamelessly exploit students as political tools to manufacture disruption during the Monsoon Session of Parliament.

Shri @RahulGandhi and @INCIndia chose to stage a dharna outside the Hon'ble Prime Minister's residence , causing…

— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) July 21, 2026

He said that the aim of the Congress protest was "disruption for political headlines".
"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 For Rahul Gandhi, this is not about students. This is about manufacturing confrontation after every genuine avenue for discussion has been opened," he added
"Our Government remains 100% committed to discussing NEET and addressing every genuine concern of our youth on the floor of the House. 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," the BJP leader added.
"We owe our students more than outrage. We owe them answers, reforms and accountability. That is exactly what our government remains committed to delivering," he said.
Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday evening reached the Mandir Marg Police Station after Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with several other Opposition leaders, were detained by the Delhi Police during a protest near Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak and demands of students.
Some of the detained Opposition leaders were brought to the Mandir Marg Police Station, while a bus carrying Rahul Gandhi and several other leaders went to Chhatrasal Stadium following the protest at Lok Kalyan Marg.
The Congress leaders had marched from Rajaji Marg to the Prime Minister's residence, demanding accountability over the paper leak, action against the police crackdown on student protesters and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. (ANI)