‘Pressure won't work’: Akhilesh's message to govt as NEET protest gains more political backing
New Delhi: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday criticised the Centre's handling of the NEET paper leak controversy, saying that pressure on protesting students would not resolve the issue. He accused the government of moving away from democratic accountability and urged it to acknowledge mistakes and engage with students through dialogue.
Speaking to reporters at Lucknow airport after returning from Delhi, Yadav said the government should accept the demands of students and young people and hold discussions over the alleged irregularities in competitive examinations.
Yadav said repeated paper leaks had affected the future of lakhs of students and questioned the government's ability to conduct fair examinations. He argued that the need to conduct a re-examination itself showed that the examination process had failed.
"The government should accept the demands of students and youth. The minister himself admitted that there were irregularities in the examination and that the paper was leaked," Yadav said.
The SP chief also said his party would continue raising the issue in legislatures until Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns. He added that the demands of families who lost children after the controversy should also be addressed.
"This is not a government, it is arrogance": Yadav attacks Centre's response
Yadav accused the Centre of responding to the protests with an attitude of arrogance rather than accountability. He said a democratic government should listen to people's concerns and attempt to find solutions through discussions.
"This is not a government, it is arrogance. They are running the government with arrogance. In a democracy, the government should listen to the people, understand what they want and at least hold talks," he said.
He added that using pressure tactics against protesters would not resolve the issue and said dialogue was the only way forward.
Yadav also criticised the handling of examination systems in Uttar Pradesh and at the national level, alleging that repeated paper leaks had created uncertainty among students preparing for government jobs and entrance examinations.
Rahul Gandhi leads Opposition march to Gandhi Smriti over NEET row
Meanwhile, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, along with INDIA bloc leaders, marched towards Gandhi Smriti in New Delhi to express solidarity with students affected by the NEET controversy.
The Opposition leaders said the march was aimed at supporting students protesting against alleged examination irregularities and those injured during the CJP-led protest at Jantar Mantar.
Before the march, Rahul Gandhi said the Opposition wanted to stand with students who had been protesting on the streets.
"Because our students are on the street, all the opposition MPs felt that we should also be on the street," Gandhi said.
He alleged that the march was stopped through barricades and vehicles placed along the route. Gandhi claimed that authorities were preventing Opposition MPs from expressing solidarity with students.
Rahul Gandhi demands Education Minister's resignation
Addressing reporters after reaching Gandhi Smriti, Rahul Gandhi accused the government of failing to protect students' interests and demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
"We are with the students, and Mr Narendra Modi has to remove the Education Minister and apologise," Gandhi said.
He said the Opposition would continue raising the issue and claimed that students were demanding justice and accountability over the alleged paper leaks.
The march took place amid heavy security deployment in Delhi, with police placing barricades around areas linked to the movement. Some Congress workers attempted to cross barricades, leading to brief confrontations with police personnel.
CJP protest at Jantar Mantar gains Opposition support
The developments came as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) continued its protest at Jantar Mantar, demanding accountability over alleged NEET irregularities and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The protest gained wider political attention after clashes during the CJP's Chalo Sansad march on July 20, when police used tear gas shells and lathi charges after protesters attempted to breach security barricades near Parliament.
Several protesters and police personnel sustained injuries during the confrontation. Following the incident, Opposition leaders criticised the police action and extended support to the protesting students.
Mehbooba Mufti backs CJP protest, calls it a fight for democracy
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti also visited the CJP protest site at Jantar Mantar and expressed support for the students.
She described the agitation as a fight for transparency, accountability and democratic values. Mufti criticised the government's response to the protests and said young people should not be pressured for raising concerns.
She also questioned the response to allegations of police action against protesters and urged authorities to address students' grievances.
Parliament deadlock continues over NEET discussion
The NEET issue also remained a point of confrontation between the government and the Opposition in Parliament.
The Opposition has demanded Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation and sought a detailed discussion under parliamentary rules. The government has maintained that it is ready for a discussion on the issue but has opposed conditions being placed before talks.
The political standoff continues as student groups and Opposition parties demand accountability over examination irregularities, while the Centre says strict action will be taken against those found responsible for paper leaks.