Priyanka Gandhi Vadra slammed the BJP for felicitating former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan after his resignation over the NEET row, calling it 'shameful'. She also accused the government of harassing students protesting the exam irregularities.

Priyanka Gandhi slams 'shameful' felicitation

Congress Lok Sabha MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday questioned the BJP's decision to felicitate former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in Parliament following his resignation, asking how the ruling alliance could celebrate a minister who stepped down amid the controversy over alleged examination irregularities. Speaking to reporters here, Priyanka Gandhi slammed the BJP and NDA MPs for raising slogans in support of Pradhan and welcoming him after his resignation. "Don't you think this is shameful? Consider the circumstances under which they resigned, yet he is being welcomed here as if a superstar were arriving," Priyanka Gandhi said.

She also accused the government of continuing to target students who had participated in protests over the NEET paper leak and examination irregularities. "One cannot trust this government. Even today, students are being harassed. I noticed that photos of girls have been posted on certain Instagram handles, accompanied by claims that they did this or that. Either you are engaging in dialogue and genuinely want to resolve the issue, or you are hounding the students and trying to suppress them even now," she said.

NEET row echoes in Parliament

Her remarks came a day after BJP and NDA MPs raised slogans of "Dharmendra Pradhan zindabad" and felicitated the former Education Minister upon his arrival in Parliament. Pradhan resigned from the Union Cabinet on Saturday following widespread protests over the NEET paper leak and concerns over irregularities in the country's examination system. The resignation and the introduction of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 followed weeks of nationwide protests by students demanding accountability and reforms in the examination process.

Meanwhile, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday urged members to ensure the House functioned smoothly and appealed for consensus to begin discussion on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, at 2 pm. The Opposition has indicated its willingness to participate in the debate on the legislation while continuing to demand that the government respond to allegations of excessive police action against students during the protests.

According to sources, Congress is expected to field senior leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal, Gaurav Gogoi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, during the Lok Sabha discussion on the Bill, which seeks to strengthen the legal framework against paper leaks, organised examination malpractice and other unfair practices in public examinations. (ANI)

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