Opposition parties — Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Indian National Congress — launched a sharp offensive against the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Tuesday, 21 July, the second day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, over the government's handling of the NEET-UG paper leak and the Delhi Police's crackdown on student protesters at Jantar Mantar. Legislators invoked the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and comparisons to Adolf Hitler to condemn the use of lathi charges and tear gas against demonstrators demanding accountability.

The Protest and Police Action

Scores of demonstrators, led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), marched toward Parliament on Monday calling for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the 3 May NEET paper leak. Police deployed barricades, lathi charges, and tear gas to disperse the crowd, leaving several protesters injured — some reportedly with fractures and head wounds requiring stitches.

What Opposition Leaders Said

Speaking outside Parliament House, SP chief and Member of Parliament Akhilesh Yadav said: 'Since Independence, no one could have imagined such kind of a behaviour by an elected government. People got injured on their heads and had to receive stitches, even got inflicted with fractures and tear gas was also used.'

Referencing a video posted on his X handle, Yadav added: 'Doctors are saying that people have come in with cracked skulls. The government should get them treated. This is the government's responsibility.' He went further, drawing a direct comparison: 'Hitler used to carry out such things, and now we are witnessing it under the BJP-led regime. It is unacceptable in a democracy.'

Congress MP Jebi Mather invoked the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919, saying: 'In 1919, the Jallianwala Bagh massacre happened, where the British tried to suppress the voices of Indians through bullets. The British left, but their methods continue to this day. Our students came out for a peaceful protest, but in 2026, at Jantar Mantar, they faced barricades, lathi charges, and tear gas. This is not how it should happen.'

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram trained his fire on institutional failure: 'It is the nation's responsibility to run a robust, efficient, and honest examination system. But the examination system does not seem to be honest, which is why we are seeing consistent paper leaks. The government is not fixing accountability on anyone. The Minister, Secretary, and the NTA — no one is being held responsible.'

Congress MP Deepender Hooda said the patience of the country's youth had 'broken', demanding that the Delhi Police Commissioner explain 'on whose orders such an extent of lathi-charge and tear gas were unleashed.' Congress MP K.C. Venugopal questioned whether peaceful protest was now impermissible, while MP Praniti Shinde called the police action 'unacceptable'.

Rajya Sabha Flashpoint

Congress MP Pawan Khera alleged that ruling coalition MPs prevented Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge from speaking in the House on Tuesday. Khera said Kharge had sought to raise the issue of Monday's violence and demanded that Home Minister Amit Shah address both Houses regarding the police action. He added that the NEET paper leak and reports of student suicides linked to the crisis would also form part of the opposition's demands for discussion.

Broader Context

The NEET-UG controversy has dogged the Centre since the paper leak surfaced in May 2026, triggering nationwide student unrest and calls for an overhaul of the National Testing Agency (NTA). This is not the first time the opposition has sought a no-holds-barred debate on the issue during the Monsoon Session; demands for ministerial accountability have been a recurring flashpoint since the session opened. With student suicides reportedly linked to the exam crisis now being cited in Parliament, the political pressure on the government shows no sign of easing.