Rahul Gandhi reiterates three ‘non-negotiable’ student demands, says Dharmendra Pradhan must be sacked over NEET row

Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday intensified the Opposition’s campaign over the alleged NEET paper leak controversy, asserting that students across the country had placed three “non-negotiable” demands before the government, including the immediate dismissal of union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, accountability for those responsible for the police action against protesters, and a public apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi after meeting students who had been on a hunger strike, Gandhi said the discussions centred on the student movement, the alleged capture of India’s education system by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and what he described as the systematic destruction of students’ futures.

“I had a meeting with students who went on hunger strike. We discussed their movement, the RSS and how the education system of India has been captured,” Gandhi said.

He maintained that the demands being raised were not those of the Congress party but of students themselves.

“The main thing is that there are three demands, and these are non-negotiable demands. This is not me saying this but the students of India saying this. The first demand is that the education minister, who is corrupt, incompetent and misaligned, has to be sacked,” Gandhi said.

The Congress leader also dismissed speculation that the government could simply shift Dharmendra Pradhan to another ministry as a way of addressing the crisis.

“There is some talk going on. We get information these days from the government. There is some talk going on in Mr Modi’s Cabinet that the solution is to move Mr Dharmendra Pradhan from education to some other ministry. This is not acceptable by the students of India. This is not acceptable to anybody. The reason is Mr Pradhan is a symbol of corruption and of what has happened to the future of India’s children. He is the symbol of the destruction of the most valuable thing this country has—its students and their future,” Gandhi said.

Reiterating that merely changing Pradhan’s portfolio would not satisfy the protesters, Gandhi said the students’ demand was specifically for his removal from the union Council of Ministers.

Referring to the recent police action against student demonstrators in the national capital, Gandhi said the second demand was that those responsible for using force against protesters should be punished.

“Our second demand is that those who unleashed violence and used lathis and batons against protesting students should be punished and held accountable,” he said, referring to reports of injuries sustained by students during the demonstrations.

The third demand, Gandhi said, was directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“The leader of this entire machinery, Prime Minister Modi, has to apologise to the students,” he said, arguing that the government’s handling of the controversy had eroded the confidence of millions of young people.

Gandhi also criticised the Prime Minister’s recent remarks and social media outreach on examination reforms, saying they did not address the core issue being raised by the student movement.

“Prime Minister Modi said he has held discussions on the NEET issue and some concrete solutions have come up. We have got nothing to do with those solutions. The demand of the students is clear—they want Dharmendra Pradhan to be sacked,” he said.

In a separate post on social media platform X, Gandhi accused the Narendra Modi-led government of suppressing student protests while failing to prevent examination paper leaks.

“Close the Metro. Close the roads. Close the shops. Shut down the Internet. Stop the food,” Gandhi wrote, referring to the alleged restrictions imposed during the protests.

Accusing the government of taking harsh measures against students seeking justice, he added, “The government has taken these cruel steps against students who are asking for their rights.”

In a pointed attack on the Prime Minister, Gandhi said, “There is only one thing you could not stop, Modi ji — paper leaks.”

The remarks come amid an escalating political confrontation over the alleged NEET paper leak and the police action against students protesting in Delhi. Opposition parties have alleged that authorities imposed restrictions, including the closure of Metro stations, road blockades, internet disruptions and the shutting of shops around protest sites to prevent demonstrators from gathering. The government has not accepted these allegations.

The controversy has dominated the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament, with repeated disruptions as Opposition parties demand accountability from the Centre and seek the resignation of union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Congress and several other Opposition parties have accused the government of suppressing democratic dissent instead of addressing the concerns of lakhs of students affected by examination irregularities.

The Centre, however, has maintained that it is committed to ensuring transparency and integrity in public examinations. The government has announced plans for tougher anti-paper leak measures, including stricter legal provisions against those involved in examination fraud, while rejecting Opposition allegations that it has failed to address the issue adequately.