Mangaluru: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) leader Padmaraj R. Poojary on Tuesday condemned the detention of Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi during a protest near the Prime Minister’s residence in New Delhi over the alleged irregularities in the NEET examination.
In a statement, Poojary alleged that the Centre had adopted an “authoritarian approach” to suppress what he described as a legitimate movement by students seeking accountability over the alleged examination irregularities.
He claimed that repeated question paper leaks and failures in the examination system had put the future of millions of students at risk. Referring to reports of student deaths linked to academic stress, he alleged that the situation reflected a serious failure of governance and said the Congress would continue to support Rahul Gandhi in defending the Constitution, democracy and the interests of young people.
Poojary also demanded ₹1 crore as compensation for the families of students who, he alleged, lost their lives in connection with the NEET controversy. He criticised the reported use of lathicharge and tear gas against protesters, calling it inconsistent with democratic values.
Describing the detention of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as an attempt to silence dissent, Poojary alleged that the action amounted to an attack on democracy.
He further demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, alleging that the minister had failed to ensure a fair examination system. If he did not resign, Poojary said, he should be removed from the Union Cabinet.
Calling on the Centre to address students’ concerns, Poojary said the Congress would continue to stand with Rahul Gandhi in its campaign to safeguard the Constitution, democratic values and the future of the country’s youth.