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'Rahul Gandhi Using Students As Political Tools': Dharmendra Pradhan Slams Congress
Sneha | July 22, 2026 2:11 AM CST

Congress Protest: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party, accusing them of exploiting students for political gains and deliberately disrupting the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament over the NEET issue amid the demands of his resignation from the post. 

In a post on X, Pradhan alleged that Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and the Congress had staged a protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official residence despite the government's willingness to hold a comprehensive discussion on the matter in Parliament.

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

Referring to the Congress' protest near the Prime Minister's residence, the minister said the party had "caused inconvenience to the public and disregarded established security protocols."

Pradhan further claimed that the Centre had already conveyed its readiness to discuss the NEET issue and other concerns related to students in Parliament, but the Congress chose "political spectacle over democratic debate."

"Their objective was never solutions for students, it was disruption for political headlines," he said.

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

Reiterating the government's stand, the Education Minister said the Centre remained "100% committed" to discussing NEET and addressing all genuine concerns of students 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 said.

Pradhan concluded by asserting that the government was committed to delivering "answers, reforms and accountability" rather than political outrage.

This statement came after Congress staged a protest outside PM Modi's residence over use of lathi charge against students, who were protesting on July 20. The students and Cockroach janta Party gathered to protest against the NEET Paper leak. 

Congress Escalates Protest

Seeking to intensify pressure on the Centre, Rahul Gandhi said the Congress had marched to the Prime Minister's residence because the Opposition was allegedly being denied an opportunity to raise the issue in Parliament.

In a post on X, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha accused the government of refusing to take responsibility for the alleged police excesses and demanded the resignations of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

"We have marched to PM Modi's house to demand answers from him for the brutalities against young students yesterday. The Government doesn't want to take any accountability, nor does it want to have a debate on it in Parliament. PM and HM must resign for destroying the future of India's youth," Rahul Gandhi wrote.

Rahul-Jitendra Meet, Union Minister Reveals Discussion

As the protest continued outside the Prime Minister's residence, Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh arrived at the site along with the Prime Minister's Secretary and held discussions with Rahul Gandhi.

Singh claimed that Gandhi shifted the goalposts during their talks at the Congress' protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence, alleging that the Congress leader added a fresh demand after the Centre agreed to his initial one.

Singh, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, arrived at the protest site about an hour after the demonstration began and held a brief discussion with Rahul Gandhi. After the meeting, Congress MPs said the talks remained inconclusive and that the government's response had failed to address the party's demands.

In a post on X, Singh said the Centre had deputed him and Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan to engage with the protesters, noting that the sit-in was being led by senior Congress leaders, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

According to Singh, Rahul Gandhi told him the protest would be withdrawn if the government agreed to hold a discussion in Parliament on the NEET paper leak and other examination paper leak cases, as well as the protests surrounding them.

"Within a few moments, after taking permission from the government's top leadership, Rahul Gandhi was assured that his demand had been accepted and the government was ready to discuss in Parliament all issues related to NEET and the associated movement," Singh wrote on X.

The Union minister, however, alleged that instead of calling off the protest, Rahul Gandhi raised another demand, claiming the Congress leader did not honour the understanding reached during the talks.

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