Owaisi slams govt, calls police action on students a 'recurring pattern'

AIMIM's Asaduddin Owaisi called police action on student protesters a 'recurring pattern' by the govt. The march over the NEET-UG paper leak saw over 100 police and 60 protesters injured, prompting FIRs and a probe into the violence.

Amid the row over the CJP-led Parliament march which left over 100 injured, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday claimed that the police action against student protesters in Delhi was part of a recurring pattern from the government, drawing parallels with its handling of the lawyers' protest, the farmers' agitation and the anti-CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) protest.

Speaking to reporters, Owaisi said the government had had ample opportunity to prevent the situation from escalating, given how long the protest had already been running. "What happened yesterday is the consistent behaviour of this government. Similar things happened during the lawyers' protest, the farmers' protest and also during the CAA protest. This (protest) has been going on for so many weeks. You should have engaged in talks with students before," he said, further calling the visuals from the protest "complete disorder".

Protest over NEET-UG paper leak

The protest traces back to June, gaining significant national traction after activist Sonam Wangchuk joined the movement and launched a hunger strike which is still ongoing. Owaisi's remarks add to a wave of opposition criticism over the police action against the student protestors during the march, which has been demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak.

Opposition Demands Discussion

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that "students were beaten for asking legitimate questions about their own future" and demanded a detailed discussion in Parliament's Monsoon Session on the alleged brutality against students and the NEET examination paper leak crisis.

Police Register 5 FIRs, Probe Violence

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has registered five FIRs so far in connection with alleged violence, stone-pelting and vandalism during Monday's protest at Jantar Mantar and is probing whether the violence was part of a pre-planned conspiracy, with police examining more than 250 videos to identify those involved.

According to police sources, the FIRs have been registered at the Parliament Street and Connaught Place police stations under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, the Arms Act, 1959, and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act (PDPP Act). As per Delhi Police, the events of protest left more than 118 police personnel injured, and more than 60 protesters were also reported hurt. (ANI)

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