Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him and the party of exploiting students amid escalating protests over the alleged National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) paper leak and police action against agitating students.
Pradhan said that they owe students more than outrage. "We owe them answers, reforms and accountability. That is exactly what our government remains committed to delivering."
In a post on X, Pradhan said Rahul Gandhi and the Congress "continue to shamelessly exploit students as political tools to manufacture disruption during the Monsoon Session of Parliament."
LoP Shri @RahulGandhi and @INCIndia continue to shamelessly exploit students as political tools to manufacture disruption during the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) July 21, 2026
Shri @RahulGandhi and @INCIndia chose to stage a dharna outside the Hon'ble Prime Minister's residence , causing…
He said the Leader of Opposition's decision to stage a dharna outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence had caused "inconvenience to the public" and disregarded "established security protocols."
The minister's remarks came hours after Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party's Akhilesh Yadav and other INDIA bloc leaders were detained by Delhi Police from outside the Prime Minister's residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg.
The protest was triggered by Monday's lathi-charge and tear gas action against students taking part in the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) "Chalo Sansad" march, which left several injured. Protesters were also demanding Pradhan's resignation over alleged irregularities in NEET.
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Pradhan argued that the government had already signalled openness to a discussion, alleging that Congress opted instead for "political spectacle over democratic 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," he wrote.
He was sharper on Gandhi personally, writing, "For Rahul Gandhi, this is not about students. This is about manufacturing confrontation after every genuine avenue for discussion has been opened."
Asserting that the government remained "100% committed" to discussing NEET and youth concerns on the floor of the House, Pradhan said students "deserve certainty over chaos, solutions over slogans and responsibility over disruption."
Rahul Gandhi, meanwhile, has maintained that students were "beaten for asking legitimate questions about their own future" and has pressed for a detailed parliamentary discussion on the alleged brutality and the NEET paper leak crisis, having met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla along with other Opposition MPs to press the demand.
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