Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Centre over the police action against Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protesters in Delhi, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Gandhi accused the government of suppressing students protesting against what he described as a "broken" education and examination system.
Rahul Gandhi, accompanied by Congress MPs Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and K.C. Venugopal, visited Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital to meet students and others injured during Monday's police action on the CJP protest march. The Congress leaders alleged that the government had responded to students' concerns with force instead of addressing their grievances.
Speaking to reporters, Rahul Gandhi said Prime Minister Modi had remained silent despite the police action against the protesters.
"Modi ji has not even apologised for what happened yesterday. The youth are protesting against the education and testing system. The whole country knows that the education and testing system is hollowed out by termites. Why is the Prime Minister silent? He should apologise to the students and stop this nonsense of thrashing students," Gandhi said.
The Congress leader argued that students were protesting because they saw no opportunities for their future. According to him, competitive examinations, which many young people consider their only avenue for employment, have also lost credibility.
Expanding his criticism, Rahul Gandhi said the issue went beyond education and reflected a larger crisis facing the country's youth.
"The young people of this country do not have opportunities; all the doors are closed. One door is open for competitive exams, which is also destroyed. These students are complaining not just about the education system but about their future," he said.
Gandhi further alleged that the education system had been taken over by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and claimed that wealth concentration among a few industrialists had widened inequality.
"They watch Ambani's wedding and Rs 1,000 crore being spent there, while they have no money to open a business of their own. This is much bigger than education. These are students saying they have no future in India. This is legitimate. Dharmendra Pradhan, the Home Minister and the Prime Minister should resign," he added.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also strongly criticised the police action, describing it as "absolutely disgusting."
She said students and their families make enormous sacrifices in pursuit of education and deserve to have their concerns heard rather than being subjected to force.
"These are young people; they have a genuine problem. Every time they spend money, their parents take loans for them. They struggle, go to coaching centres and face immense hardships because they want a bright future. They see a possibility for that future, and you are just destroying it," Priyanka Gandhi said.
She further described the issues surrounding the education and examination system as a long-standing problem that has persisted for years.
Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi also supported the party's position on the issue. Responding to questions about the police action against the CJP protesters, she said, "The Congress party has already spoken about it."
The Congress has maintained that students protesting over issues related to the education and examination system should be heard rather than subjected to police action, and has continued to demand accountability from the government over the incident.
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