Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday launched an aggressive attack on Rahul Gandhi for protesting the NEET issue, claiming that the Opposition party is using students as “political tools” in its attempt to disrupt the Monsoon session of Parliament.
As Pradhan said in a strong post on X, Rahul Gandhi and Congress had chosen political protests over parliamentary debate despite the Centre’s stated willingness to discuss concerns related to NEET and address genuine issues raised by students.
The minister also criticized the protest by the Congress in front of PM Modi's residence and stated that it caused inconvenience to the public and did not abide by the security measures put in place.
Pradhan Accuses Congress Of Choosing ‘Political Spectacle’
Pradhan said the Congress had continued to “shamelessly exploit students as political tools” in an attempt to create disruption and generate political headlines during the ongoing Parliament session.
The Union minister said the government had already made it clear it was ready for a full discussion on the NEET issue. But he claimed that the Congress had gone for a public confrontation instead of using Parliament as a platform for debate.
“Congress chose political spectacle over democratic debate,” Pradhan said, claiming that the Opposition prioritized confrontation over dialogue and not solutions in the face of the political spectacle.
The Education Minister has also said the protest was not to resolve the concerns of students but rather political disruption.
‘For Rahul Gandhi, This Is Not About Students’: Pradhan
Pradhan took direct aim at Rahul Gandhi, questioning the Congress leader’s intentions behind the protest.
“For Rahul Gandhi, this is not about students. This is about manufacturing confrontation after every genuine avenue for discussion has been opened,” the minister said.
Pradhan said the Centre would continue to work on the NEET issue on the floor of Parliament and to address students and competitive exams.
“Our Government remains 100% committed to discussing NEET and addressing every genuine concern of our youth on the floor of the House,” he said.
Students Should Not Be ‘Props In Political Campaign’
The Union minister also said students should not be used as instruments in political campaigns.
“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,” Pradhan said.
Students’ needs were concrete solutions, reforms, and accountability, not political expressions of outrage, he said.
“We owe our students more than outrage. We owe them answers, reforms, and accountability. That is exactly what our government is committed to delivering,” Pradhan said.
Congress, Government Trade Charges Over NEET Protest
The minister’s comments come after Rahul Gandhi and Congress leaders protested on Tuesday about the NEET issue. The demonstrations have deepened the political tension between the government and the Opposition during the Monsoon Session.
The Congress has continued to insist on the NEET system and student problems but the government defended its stance and accused the Opposition of disrupting parliamentary proceedings.
The current exchange is the latest in a political fight over NEET in which both sides have accused the other of putting the interests of students at the top.
As the Monsoon Session continues, the dispute will probably remain a major flashpoint, with the Opposition continuing to demand accountability and the government insisting that the issue should be resolved by parliamentary discussion instead of street protests.
