Dharmendra Pradhan says 'owe our students more than outrage', attacks Congress amid calls for his resignation

Union education minister and BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan, in his first reaction since Chalo Sansad rally happened on Monday (20 July), lashed out at Congress over their protest near Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence at Lok Kalyan Marg .

Dharmendra Pradhan said, “LoP Rahul Gandhi and Congress party continue to shamelessly exploit students as political tools to manufacture disruption during the Monsoon Session of Parliament.”

Congress protests at Lok Kalyan Marg

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was forcibly removed by the police during a protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official home on Tuesday, escalating tensions a day after massive student-led demonstrations.

Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav were among more than 100 opposition lawmakers who had gathered at the site in New Delhi to condemn police action against student protesters at Jantar Mantar on Monday.

The Police used tear gas and batons to block thousands of protesters from marching to India’s parliament on Monday, leaving dozens injured. Students supporting the Cockroach Janta Party are demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over the NEET exam paper leak.

“We have marched ​to PM Modi’s house ‌to ⁠demand answers from him for the brutalities against young ​students ​yesterday,” ⁠Rahul Gandhi posted on X earlier.

Security personnel were seen carrying Rahul Gandhi away after he lay on the ground to resist their efforts to forcibly remove him. “They are cowards. They are scared. We are not scared of them,” Vadra said while being taken away, according to media reports. Visuals shared by her party on X showed Vadra clinging to the police bus as she was taken away.

Jitendra Singh, minister of state in the Prime Minister’s Office, told news agency ANI that the government had agreed to a debate in the parliament on the matter but Gandhi still did not end his protest.

In a strongly worded statement, Minister of State in PMO Jitendra Singh, who along with Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan met Gandhi and urged him to end his sit-in, alleged that the LoP "backtracked" from his earlier demand for a debate and said it does not befit a leader of his stature.

Singh said Rahul Gandhi did not agree to his request and instead demanded that Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan must also resign.

The minister also said that the Congress "has not given any notice to date for a formal discussion on this serious matter (NEET issue) as per rules".

"For a senior leader like Shri Rahul Gandhi and the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) to go back on his word is unfortunate and contrary to every norm of democracy," the minister said.

"The government is ready to discuss in Parliament all issues related to NEET and the associated movement... Shri Rahul Gandhi's behaviour does not align with the principles of democracy," Singh said.

READ DHARMENDRA PRADHAN's X POST

LoP Shri Rahul Gandhi and INCIndia continue to shamelessly exploit students as political tools to manufacture disruption during the Monsoon Session of Parliament. Rahul Gandhi INCIndia chose to stage a dharna outside the Hon'ble Prime Minister's residence , causing inconvenience to the public and disregarding 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

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

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.

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

As the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar continued on Tuesday, the Congress held a separate demonstration near Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

According to the police, Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, refused to disperse despite repeated appeals and an assurance from Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh that the students' concerns would be raised in Parliament. The leaders were subsequently removed from the protest site and detained by the Delhi Police.

Meanwhile, the crowd at Jantar Mantar continued to grow as more protesters gathered at the venue. In response, the Delhi Police reiterated that prohibitory orders under Section 163 remain in force and urged people not to assemble in the area.

(With agency inputs)