Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh and several senior Congress leaders were detained by police in Bhopal on Saturday, 30 May, while leading a protest march over the alleged NEET paper leak and irregularities in competitive examinations. The detentions came after demonstrators attempted to march from the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) headquarters toward the Chief Minister's residence.

How the Protest Unfolded

The Indian National Congress and its student wing, the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), organised the agitation at the PCC office, from where party leaders and workers moved to march toward the CM House. Police halted the procession at barricades erected near the Red Cross intersection, where a brief scuffle broke out amid sloganeering.

Security forces then detained multiple leaders and workers, transporting them in buses to Ratibad police station. Police officials described the action as preventive in nature. All detained individuals were released later in the day, according to officials.

Who Was Detained

Among those taken into custody were former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh, former ministers P.C. Sharma and Rajkumar Patel, Silwani MLA and Raisen District Congress President Devendra Patel, former MLA Shailendra Patel, and Vidisha District Congress President Mohit Raghuvanshi.

Also present at the protest — though not among those detained — were State Congress President Jitu Patwari, Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar, former ministers Sukhdev Panse and Kamleshwar Patel, and NSUI National President Vinod Jakhar. Hundreds of Congress workers and students had gathered at the PCC office to join the agitation.

What Congress Demanded

Addressing party workers before the march, Digvijaya Singh accused the Centre of failing to prevent repeated examination paper leaks and called for the resignation of the Union Education Minister. “The Education Minister should resign, taking moral responsibility for the alleged irregularities and paper leak incidents surrounding the NEET examination. The future of lakhs of students is at stake, and the government cannot escape responsibility,” Singh said.

After being detained, Singh reiterated that Congress would sustain its agitation until justice was delivered. “Tampering with the future of students will not be tolerated at any cost. The youth of this country deserve a fair and transparent system,” he said.

The party demanded a fair, time-bound inquiry into the alleged irregularities and strict action against those responsible.

Security Arrangements and Background

In anticipation of the march, the police administration deployed heavy security around the Congress headquarters and along the protest route. Barricades were placed at multiple points, with water cannons and a large police contingent stationed near the Red Cross intersection to prevent any advance toward the CM House.

This comes amid a nationwide controversy over the alleged NEET-UG 2024 paper leak, which has drawn protests across several states and prompted calls for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry. Congress leaders argue that repeated leaks in high-stakes examinations have fundamentally eroded the credibility of India’s competitive testing framework, affecting lakhs of students annually.

What Happens Next

Congress has signalled it will escalate its agitation if the Centre does not act on its demands. The party’s pressure campaign in Madhya Pradesh is part of a broader national offensive it has mounted against the government over examination integrity, with similar protests reported in other states. The political and legal trajectory of the NEET controversy is expected to intensify in the coming days.