‘Apologise And Resign For Crushing Valid Protest By Students’
On July 20, Delhi Police used barricades, tear gas and lathicharge to prevent CJP demonstrators from entering Parliament premises; protesters alleged that excessive force had been used during the crackdown
The political confrontation over the police action against students during the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) ‘Sansad Chalo’ march escalated on Tuesday, with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi launching a sharp attack on the Narendra Modi government. Gandhi demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi apologise for the police crackdown on protesters and called for the resignation of both Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Speaking to reporters in the Parliament complex, Gandhi condemned the handling of the student protest, describing the police action as “completely un-Indian” and accusing the government of refusing to engage with the concerns of young people over India’s education and examination system.
“Modi ji has not even apologised for what has happened yesterday,” Gandhi said, referring to Monday’s police action against protesters marching towards Parliament. “He should apologise to the students and stop this nonsense of police people thrashing students. It is completely wrong.”
The Congress leader also revealed that he, along with other Opposition MPs, had met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to seek a discussion on students’ concerns during the ongoing Monsoon Session.
“He (Birla) said he will have to ask the government. So understand, the Speaker is telling us that to debate in Parliament he has to take permission from the government,” Gandhi said.
Rahul Gandhi targets government over education system
Gandhi argued that the protest was not confined to examination-related grievances but reflected a deeper crisis confronting India’s youth.
“These students are protesting over the education and testing system,” he said. “The whole country knows that the education system and the testing system is broken and has ceased to exist.”
Alleging that the country’s examination process had steadily deteriorated, Gandhi claimed the system had been hollowed out over time.
“The testing system has been hollowed out by termites and that is what the students are stating,” he said.
According to Gandhi, competitive examinations have become the only remaining avenue for millions of young Indians seeking employment and social mobility, making the integrity of the system even more critical.
“The young people of this country do not have any opportunities. All the doors are closed. There is only one door that is open, which is the door of the competitive exam — and that door is also destroyed,” he said.
The Congress MP also linked students’ concerns to broader political and economic issues, alleging that powerful interests had captured the education system.
“They are saying that in this country today, because of Mr Adani and Mr Ambani, because of the RSS’ complete takeover of the education system, because of ‘pracharaks’ becoming vice chancellors of universities, we have no future,” Gandhi said.
Emphasising that the issue extended beyond education policy, he added, “This is not just about education, this is about the future of young people.”
Drawing a contrast between the lives of ordinary students and the country’s wealthiest families, Gandhi said many young Indians felt excluded from economic opportunities.
“They look at Mr Ambani’s wedding and they watch thousand crores being spent over there, and they have no money to open a business if they want. They have no future,” he said.
“This is much bigger than simply education. This is students of this country saying — ‘In India, we have no future, we want a future’,” Gandhi added.
Opposition intensifies pressure after Parliament protest
Gandhi accused the government of responding to students’ demands with force instead of reform.
“Instead of saying, ‘Okay, we are going to work to improve the education system, we are going to work to fix the testing system’, the prime minister — I don’t know what he is doing,” he said.
Asked about the Opposition’s demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Gandhi said responsibility extended beyond the education ministry.
“Absolutely, he should resign, but Dharmendra Pradhan has not beaten up these students. The home minister (Amit Shah) has. He should resign, and the home minister reports to the Prime Minister, he should resign,” Gandhi said.
Later, Gandhi reiterated his criticism in a post on X, writing in Hindi: “The country’s students are saying — ‘We have no future’. And this government’s ministers are saying — ‘We won’t lose our seats.’ In a country where students lose their future and ministers don’t lose their seats — there is no justice at all.”
His remarks came a day after thousands of students and young people gathered near Parliament during the opening day of the Monsoon Session to demand accountability over alleged irregularities in national-level examinations and seek the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The demonstration, organised by the Cockroach Janta Party under the banner of ‘Sansad Chalo’, ended in clashes after protesters attempted to march towards Parliament. Delhi Police used barricades, tear gas and force to prevent demonstrators from entering the high-security zone, while protesters alleged that excessive force had been used during the crackdown.
The CJP claimed that several students sustained injuries during the police action and alleged that activist Sonam Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J. Angmo, was pushed and manhandled. Delhi Police has rejected the allegations.
The issue also dominated proceedings inside Parliament, where Opposition parties demanded a discussion on alleged examination irregularities, including the NEET paper leak controversy. Both Houses witnessed disruptions as Opposition MPs pressed the government to address the concerns of students and hold a debate on the country’s education and examination system.
