Rahul Gandhi Protest Highlights: '…blood of India’s brightest is on this NEET-UG scam': Manickam Tagore slams Pradhan

'At least 13 dead in the 46 days after his own government’s paper leak forced a re-test. And Union Education Minister @dpradhanbjp responds to calls for his resignation with… a Sanskrit shloka on the glory of the Guru," Manickam Tagore said in an X post, adding, “Pradhan, the blood of India’s brightest is on this NEET-UG scam.”

"Spare us the sermon."

"This morning I met the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, and I told him that we needed to be allowed to debate what happened to the students the day before. The speaker said he needed to take permission from the government, and it became clear that there was no interest in the government in having a debate. We decided to go and protest in front of the Prime Minister's house and bring the students' issues to national attention...," the Congress MP said in a video message.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the police lathicharge on student protesters.

"We have asked for the students. First, the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan and Amit Shah. Second, those who have killed the students, those who have humiliated them, should be taken action on and the cases on the students should be removed."

He also renewed the Opposition's demand for a full debate in both Houses of Parliament.

"The entire Opposition wants that this issue, which is the biggest issue of the country, should be debated in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and we can keep our words."

Questioning the state of India's education system, Rahul Gandhi in a video message said the controversy went beyond the alleged paper leak and reflected deeper structural problems.

"Why is the Indian education system collapsing? Why are papers leaking? Why is education so expensive in India? Why do families have to destroy themselves financially to educate their children? These are legitimate questions and there is absolutely nothing wrong with asking these questions."

Rahul Gandhi said he met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla earlier in the day to request a discussion on the police action against student protesters.

"This morning I went and met the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and I said to him that it was important that we be allowed to debate what happened to the students the day before. The Speaker said he needed to take permission from the government, but it was very clear to us in the hours after that that there was no interest in the government of having a debate."

He said the Congress then decided to protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence to draw national attention to the issue.

"So we took a decision to go and protest in front of the Prime Minister's house and bring the issue of the students, which is the most important issue for the country."

Reiterating the government's position, Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the Centre remained committed to addressing concerns related to the NEET examination and education reforms.

"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."

He concluded by saying: "We owe our students more than outrage. We owe them answers, reforms and accountability. That is exactly what our government remains committed to delivering."

Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the Centre had already conveyed its willingness to hold a comprehensive discussion on the NEET issue in Parliament, but alleged that the Congress was more interested in creating political controversy than participating in a debate.

"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."

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday (July 21) accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party of using students as "political tools" after the Opposition staged a protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence over the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak and police action against student protesters.

In a post on X, Pradhan alleged that the Congress chose "political spectacle over democratic debate" despite the government's willingness to discuss the issue during the Monsoon Session of Parliament.

Targeting Rahul Gandhi, the Union minister wrote that the Congress was attempting to create confrontation instead of seeking solutions.

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

He also criticised the Congress for staging a sit-in outside the Prime Minister's official residence at Lok Kalyan Marg.

"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."

Rahul Gandhi in a video message urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apologise for the police action and initiate reforms in the examination and education systems.

"I have a suggestion for Modi Ji as LoP. For what happened yesterday, what your government did, what your Home Minister did, for that, you apologize to the students of the country and start reforming the examination system and education systems."

His remarks came amid continuing political confrontation over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak and the police action against student protesters, with the Opposition demanding accountability, the removal of criminal cases against students and a discussion on the issue in Parliament.

Civil rights organisation Jan Hastakshep condemned the police lathi-charge and tear gas shells against protesters during the ‘March to Parliament’ demonstration.

Jan Hastakshep claimed that hundreds of students and youth were injured in the police action.

The protest was organised against alleged “mismanagement and corruption” in the higher education sector, according to the organisation.

The group said students had been holding a month-long peaceful sit-in at Jantar Mantar after their demands were allegedly ignored by the government.

BJP MP Sambit Patra said Congress party leaders suddenly staged a sit-in protest outside the gate of the Prime Minister's residence. “In a democracy, staging sit-ins and protests is a hallmark of the system. However, where and how should a protest be conducted?”

“What are the rules governing protests? What are the rules by which the country functions?” he said.

“The Leader of the Opposition (LoP) ought to be aware of this. Rahul ji is no ordinary leader; he is the Leader of the Opposition in the country. He is well aware that there are designated areas and spaces in Delhi specifically earmarked for protests,” Patra added.

Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal leaves from Chhatrasal Stadium

“What is the reason? Why is Dharmendra Pradhan not resigning?” Congress leader Abhishek Dutt asked.

“PM Modi has forgotten his old speeches,” he claimed. “He must remember what he used to say in 2012-13. He was the person who said that I will provide employment to the youth. Instead, paper leaks were given, not employment.”

Rahul Gandhi released from Chatrasal, says Congress

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra leaves from the Mandir Marg Police Station.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said, “What happened is absolutely wrong. This should not happen in a democracy. We need to raise the issues and the demands of the public.”

BJP President Nitin Nabin condemned “the conduct displayed by LoP Rahul Gandhi” as “entirely unbecoming”.

Nabin said Gandhi's behaviour clearly demonstrates that he does not take the dignity of the Leader of the Opposition's office seriously. “We have consistently maintained that Rahul Gandhi is emerging as a symbol of anarchy.”

The Congress' top leadership surprised not just the government and the police but also several of its MPs in staging a sit-in at one of the gates of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 7, Lok Kalyan Marg residence, according to PTI.

For the party's top leaders to stage a protest at such a high-security area, it was important to maintain secrecy, as otherwise the area could have been blockaded, a party leader in the know of the developments said.

MPs were told that they need to reach party president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence - 10 Rajaji Marg - to wish him on his birthday.

Congress leader Ghulam Ahmed Mir said that yesterday, lathis and bullets were rained down on the country's youth and students; “Rahul ji sought a debate on this in Parliament, but the government refused... ”

“The way people were dragged, injured and manhandled into buses will not intimidate the Congress. The Congress will only grow stronger, and we will fight this battle,” he said.