Minister Pradhan accuses Rahul Gandhi of exploiting students

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday accused opposition leader Rahul Gandhi of exploiting student concerns for political gain, escalating a political clash over protests related to the NEET medical entrance exam. The minister's statement came after Gandhi and other Congress leaders were detained by police following a protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official residence in New Delhi.

Pradhan, in a post on social media platform X, alleged that Gandhi and the Congress party were "shamelessly exploit[ing] students as political tools to manufacture disruption during the Monsoon Session of Parliament." He claimed the opposition chose a protest, which he said caused public inconvenience and disregarded security protocols, over participating in parliamentary debate. Pradhan asserted the government had conveyed its readiness for a comprehensive discussion on NEET-related issues in Parliament.

The protest on Tuesday was staged to condemn police action against student demonstrators a day earlier and to demand Pradhan's resignation over the handling of the NEET exam, which has been marred by allegations of a paper leak. Rahul Gandhi, along with Congress...