Congress leader Arif Naseem Khan said Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over the NEET-UG paper leak is not enough. He demanded a probe into the lathi-charge on students, withdrawal of FIRs, and stated the agitation will continue until justice is served.
Congress Demands Probe, Says Pradhan’s Resignation Insufficient
Congress leader Arif Naseem Khan said the resignation of former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan alone was not enough to address the concerns raised by students protesting against the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, demanding an investigation into those who ordered the July 20 lathi-charge on student protesters and action against those responsible.
Speaking to ANI at the Congress’ Tiranga Rally from Bail Bazar to Sakinaka here on Sunday, organised over student issues, Khan said the agitation would continue until justice was delivered to the students. “The way students across the country are being treated, with their education being jeopardised and peaceful protests met with lathicharge, has sparked widespread opposition. The Congress Party, Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and millions of young students across the nation have protested at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and various other locations,” Khan said.
Referring to Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation following nationwide protests, Khan said, “While the government has accepted Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation due to the pressure from the movement and the country’s youth, that alone is not enough. Our demand is that all FIRs and cases registered against individuals in Mumbai, Maharashtra, and elsewhere across the country must be withdrawn.”
He further demanded accountability for the police action during the July 20 ‘Sansad Chalo’ protest in Delhi. “The demand of the Congress Party and all of us, representing millions of the country’s youth, is clear: there must be an investigation into those who ordered the lathi-charge on the youths, and action must be taken against them. Additionally, the Prime Minister must apologise to the country’s youth and students; this remains our demand, and we will continue to agitate for it,” he added.
Opposition Rallies in Mumbai
The Tiranga Rally was held as protests over the NEET-UG paper leak continued to reverberate across the country. Meanwhile, in another show of support for the student movement, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray addressed a massive gathering at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park on Sunday, where thousands assembled carrying the national flag to celebrate the impact of nationwide student protests.
Addressing the gathering, Uddhav Thackeray accused the Centre of focusing on political manoeuvring instead of governance and said he could not forget the pain of students who lost their lives in the aftermath of the alleged paper leak. He also urged citizens to expose those allegedly intimidating student protesters.
Raj Thackeray hailed the students for demanding accountability from the government and observed a minute’s silence in memory of NEET aspirants who died by suicide.
The demonstrations came days after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from the Union Council of Ministers, saying he was stepping down in the larger interest of students following nationwide protests over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)