Rahul Gandhi says INDIA Bloc stands with students, pays tribute to NEET victims

Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said leaders and Members of Parliament of the INDIA bloc were marching peacefully to Gandhi Smriti to pay tribute to students who allegedly lost their lives following the NEET paper leak controversy and to express solidarity with those injured during the ongoing protests demanding accountability.

In a post on social media platform X, Gandhi said the Opposition’s visit to Gandhi Smriti on Tees January Marg was intended both as a tribute to students who had allegedly died by suicide after the examination controversy and as a show of support for those injured during recent demonstrations.

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“Right now, MPs and leaders of the INDIA alliance are peacefully heading to Gandhi Smriti on Tees January Marg,” Gandhi wrote.
Explaining the purpose of the march, he said, “We go to remember the students we lost — the children driven to take their own lives after the NEET paper leak.”
He also referred to the police action against student protesters, adding, “And we go to stand with the students who lie injured today — beaten for peacefully demanding justice and accountability.”

Reaffirming the Opposition’s support for the student movement, Gandhi said, “India’s students are not alone. The entire Opposition stands with them and their demands.”
The Congress and its INDIA bloc allies have intensified their campaign against the Centre over the alleged examination paper leaks and the handling of student protests, making the issue the central focus of the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament. Opposition parties have accused the government of failing to safeguard the integrity of competitive examinations and have demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, alleging that repeated paper leaks have jeopardised the future of lakhs of students across the country.

The Opposition has also criticised the police action against demonstrators, alleging that peaceful protesters were subjected to force while demanding accountability. The government has rejected the allegations, defended its handling of the situation and maintained that investigations into the alleged examination irregularities are underway.
The INDIA bloc’s march to Gandhi Smriti came amid continuing disruptions in Parliament, with the Opposition insisting on a discussion over the examination controversy and pressing for political accountability, while the government has maintained that it is prepared to discuss the issue but has refused demands for the Education Minister’s resignation.