NEET row: Why isn't minister removed? Govt is scared, says Akhilesh

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav questions why the Centre hasn't removed Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET row, alleging the government is scared. The opposition continues its agitation in support of protesting students at Jantar Mantar.

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday questioned why the Centre had not removed Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan amid the row over the NEET issue, alleging that the government was acting out of fear. Speaking to reporters, Akhilesh Yadav said, "We must think why the government is not able to remove its minister. What kind of pressure is there on the government? Does the minister hold secrets of the government because of which it is not able to remove him? The government is acting scared."

SP Vows to Continue Agitation for Students

Echoing the party's support for the students protesting at Jantar Mantar, SP MP Dharmendra Yadav said the opposition would continue its agitation until the students' demands were addressed. "The opposition, especially the Samajwadi Party and all other parties, stand with the students. The government should resolve their problems today; our protest will end today. But as long as students' problems persist, as long as they are sitting at Jantar Mantar, and as long as they are not satisfied with the government, we will continue to protest in our own ways, whether in the House or outside," he said.

Referring to the alleged police action on protesters, Dharmendra Yadav added, "Thousands of children were victims of a lathi charge on July 20... It was a black day."

Opposition Parties Unite in Protest

Meanwhile, SP MP Awadhesh Prasad accused the Centre of suppressing the Opposition's attempts to raise the students' issues in Parliament. "Yesterday, Akhilesh Yadav and the entire Samajwadi Party were raising the issues of the people who are gathered at the Jantar Mantar. But this government is not allowing the House to function, and we remained firm on this demand. Akhilesh Yadav was arrested and kept far away... This government is following Hitler's path," Prasad alleged. The opposition MPs held protests wearing black clothes against the government on the Parliament premises. The Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Priyanka Gandhi among others were present at the protest.

'What is happening is undemocratic': Priyanka Gandhi

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said students have genuine demands and are asking for their rights. "The Education budget is Rs 1.4 lakh crores, but you are waving off Rs 16 lakh crore loans for Adani and Ambani. Students have a genuine struggle and are asking for change. Paper leaks are happening repeatedly. There is nothing undemocratic with peaceful protest, but what is happening with students and in Parliament is undemocratic," she said.

'Govt Functioning Like Dictatorship': Kharge

On Congress protest outside LKM yesterday and detention of leaders by Police, Congress chief and Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge says, "I said yesterday itself that this is not a democratic govt. They are functioning like dictatorship. They do not respect MPs. They harass even those who protest as per rules. BJP-RSS volunteers work among Police without badges. Terrorising students and Congress leaders is what they do indirectly...If you try to crush our senior leaders, lakhs of people will stand up. You will not be able to control them then.

"We are not going to be scared, we will continue to fight. You will regret what you did to Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi...We will show them that Congress party and INDIA bloc will continue to fight," he added.

Earlier in the day, Congress MP Pawan Khera told ANI that all Opposition MPs are wearing black today as a mark of "protest against what they have done to the students of this country in the capital city of Delhi, protest against the insistence on Dharmendra Pradhan continuing on his position, protest against the way this Govt has responded to the students' unrest."

Earlier on Tuesday, Congress MPs Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, along with several other leaders, were detained by Delhi Police over the party's protest at Lok Kalyan Marg and were later released from detention. (ANI)

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