Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has responded publicly for the first time to the nationwide protests led by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) over the alleged NEET paper leak and recurring examination irregularities, accusing Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi of “shamelessly exploiting students as political tools” to disrupt Parliament during the ongoing Monsoon Session.
In a post on X, Pradhan said the Centre remained “100% committed” to discussing NEET and students’ concerns on the floor of the House, while alleging that the opposition had chosen “political spectacle over democratic debate”. His remarks came a day after the CJP’s ‘Chalo Sansad’ march in Delhi ended in clashes between protesters and police, leaving both security personnel and demonstrators injured.
While the BJP has maintained that Parliament is the appropriate forum to debate examination reforms, the Congress has accused the government of failing students by not adequately addressing repeated examination controversies and alleged paper leaks. The political confrontation has now grown beyond the NEET issue into a broader debate over accountability, transparency and trust in India’s competitive examination system.
Government Defends Its Stand
Breaking his silence after days of escalating protests, Dharmendra Pradhan strongly defended the Centre’s handling of the controversy while criticising the Congress for what he described as an attempt to politicise students’ grievances.
In his statement, Pradhan alleged that Rahul Gandhi and the Congress were using students to “manufacture disruption” during Parliament’s Monsoon Session instead of engaging in democratic discussion.
Referring to the Congress protest near Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence, he said the opposition had chosen “political spectacle over democratic debate” despite the government expressing its willingness to discuss NEET in Parliament.
“Their objective was never solutions for students. It was disruption for political headlines,” Pradhan wrote, adding that the government remained “100% committed to discussing NEET and addressing every genuine concern of our youth on the floor of the House.”
He further said students deserve “certainty over chaos, solutions over slogans and responsibility over disruption,” while assuring that the Centre remains committed to delivering reforms, accountability and answers.
The remarks come as Parliament continues to witness repeated disruptions over demands for a detailed discussion on examination reforms. Meanwhile, the Congress has rejected the government’s allegations, maintaining that students have lost confidence in the examination system after repeated reports of alleged paper leaks and irregularities.
Protest Escalates Political Row
Pradhan’s statement follows one of the largest youth-led demonstrations witnessed in the national capital in recent years. The Cockroach Janata Party organised its ‘Chalo Sansad’ march demanding accountability over the alleged NEET paper leak, reforms in recruitment and entrance examinations, and the resignation of the Union Education Minister.
Despite heavy rain, thousands of students, parents, young professionals and first-time protesters gathered in central Delhi, where authorities had deployed around 2,000 Delhi Police personnel and 20 companies of paramilitary forces to stop protesters from reaching Parliament.
The demonstration eventually turned violent, with Delhi Police alleging that protesters attempted to breach barricades, pelted stones and damaged public property. According to police, 118 personnel, including senior officers, sustained injuries, while around 60 protesters were officially reported injured.
Protest organisers, however, disputed the police version, alleging excessive use of force, repeated lathi charges and extensive firing of tear gas shells. Medical officials at Delhi’s Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital reportedly treated more than 100 injured protesters, with several suffering serious head injuries and at least one person requiring intensive care, according to media reports.
Delhi Police also denied social media claims that pellet guns had been used during the operation, describing such allegations as “completely false and misleading”. Following the clashes, Rahul Gandhi accused the Narendra Modi government of failing India’s students and said recurring examination controversies had deprived millions of deserving aspirants of fair opportunities.
The Congress has argued that the government has not shown sufficient urgency in addressing students’ concerns, while the BJP maintains that the opposition has repeatedly disrupted Parliament instead of participating in a structured debate on reforms. The controversy has now evolved into one of the biggest political flashpoints of the Monsoon Session, with both sides attempting to shape the national narrative around who is standing with India’s youth.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Competitive examinations represent years of hard work, sacrifice and hope for millions of students and their families. Allegations of paper leaks or examination irregularities naturally raise serious concerns that deserve transparent investigation and timely institutional responses. Equally, peaceful democratic protest and parliamentary debate are both important pillars of a healthy democracy.
As the political blame game intensifies, it is essential that the focus does not shift away from the students whose futures are directly affected. Governments, opposition parties, educational institutions and law enforcement agencies all share a responsibility to ensure that legitimate concerns are heard, public demonstrations remain peaceful, and accountability is pursued through transparent and credible processes.
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