Several Congress workers, including senior leaders of the Youth Congress and the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), were detained by police in Bhopal on Saturday, 13 June after they attempted to stage a demonstration and display black flags against Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan during his visit to the Madhya Pradesh capital. The detentions came amid a widening national controversy over alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) examination.

Who Was Detained and How

Police carried out preventive detentions ahead of the minister's scheduled programmes in the city. Among those taken into custody were Bhopal Youth Congress President Amit Khatri, State Congress Vice-President Abhishek Parmar, and State NSUI President Ashutosh Chowksey, along with several other party workers. Some leaders were picked up from their residences, while others were detained near the state party office.

Opposition Sharpens Attack Over NEET

Madhya Pradesh Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar directly challenged Pradhan's appeal for students to trust the examination system. 'Crores of students trusted the system and worked hard for their future, but repeated examination paper leaks have shaken that confidence. Before appealing to students to have faith, the Union Minister should visit Mauganj and meet the family of Akanksha,' Singhar said, referring to a student whose death has become a charged political issue in the state.

Congress spokesperson Vivek Tripathi also attacked the Centre, alleging that repeated instances of exam paper leaks had raised serious questions about the credibility of competitive examinations and the accountability of those responsible. The Congress has been demanding Pradhan's resignation and has staged protests across the country over the NEET controversy.

Pradhan Continues Engagements, Meets CM Yadav

Despite the protests and detentions, Union Minister Pradhan proceeded with his planned schedule in Bhopal. He met Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav at the latter's official residence, where the two discussed issues related to education, skill development, and youth empowerment. Earlier in the day, Pradhan participated in a cleanliness drive at the Shri Nageshwar Mahadev Temple in Suraj Nagar as part of programmes marking 12 years of the Narendra Modi-led Union government.

Sports, Education Policy on the Agenda

Pradhan later visited the Shooting Academy in Bhopal alongside Madhya Pradesh Sports and Youth Welfare Minister Vishvas Sarang and interacted with athletes. He highlighted the Centre's efforts to integrate sports with education through the National Education Policy (NEP) and spoke about linking academic and sporting achievements via the Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR) framework. The minister also reiterated the government's focus on skill development and the vision of a 'Developed India' by 2047.

The detentions in Bhopal mark one of the more visible flashpoints in the NEET controversy at the state level, and the political temperature around the examination is unlikely to ease until the Centre provides a credible account of how the alleged irregularities occurred.