Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday, 22 July intensified his offensive against the Centre over the NEET paper leak controversy, describing India's education system as 'rigged' and demanding the immediate resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hit back sharply, accusing Gandhi of exploiting student grievances for political gain.

Rahul Gandhi's Allegations

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Gandhi alleged that 152 examination paper leaks over the past decade had adversely affected nearly 7.5 crore students and their families, with not a single conviction recorded. He characterised the protests as legitimate and accused the government of deploying force to suppress them.

Gandhi termed Pradhan 'corrupt and incompetent,' demanded his resignation, and called for an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He argued that students from poor and middle-class backgrounds were being denied equal opportunity despite years of preparation and financial sacrifice.

BJP's Counterattack

The BJP dismissed Gandhi's charges, accusing the Congress of politicising a sensitive issue rather than allowing systemic reforms to proceed. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath alleged that the Congress and the Samajwadi Party were provoking students and creating conditions for 'anarchy' under the cover of solidarity with protesters.

Adityanath claimed the Opposition's march near the Prime Minister's residence was an attempt to engineer law-and-order problems. He also alleged that the Opposition had repeatedly tried to instigate different sections of society after failing to win public support on other fronts.

Acharya Pramod Krishnam alleged that Gandhi sought to convert democracy into 'mobocracy' and push the country toward instability. He questioned the conduct of demonstrators at Jantar Mantar, arguing that the agitation had ceased to be a purely student-led movement.

Opposition Rallies Behind Gandhi

Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik reiterated his demand for Pradhan's resignation and strongly condemned the alleged police assault on protesting students as well as the reported rough treatment of Gandhi and other Opposition leaders. He said the BJD would continue its agitation on the issue.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray accused the Centre of choosing repression over dialogue, asserting that a democratic government should engage with agitating students rather than suppress them. He described the police action against protesters, particularly women, as unacceptable, and said demanding a minister's resignation was a legitimate democratic right.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and TVK president C. Joseph Vijay condemned Gandhi's detention and described the police action against student protesters as undemocratic. He renewed the long-standing demand for scrapping NEET and called for greater state powers over education policy, arguing that the current system had caused immense hardship to students and families.

Students Divided on Political Colour

Several NEET-qualified candidates said they supported action against paper leaks but were uneasy about the growing political dimension of the protests. Many argued that strengthening examination systems and ensuring accountability would be more meaningful than demanding a ministerial resignation. The debate signals a tension between genuine student grievance and the electoral calculus of opposition parties.

What Comes Next

With multiple Opposition parties now formally backing the protest and several leaders reportedly detained, the NEET controversy shows no sign of abating. The Centre is yet to announce concrete structural reforms to examination oversight, and pressure is likely to mount as the parliamentary session continues.