“Clinging to his chair”: Kharge attacks Dharmendra Pradhan’s recent remarks against NEET paper leak protests

New Delhi : Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over his reported remarks on student protests against the NEET paper leak issue, accusing the Centre of ruining the future of millions of students and insulting those raising their voices against examination irregularities.

In a post on X, Kharge claimed that “90 paper leaks” had taken place during the government’s tenure, saying that the futures of millions of students had been destroyed. He also claimed that 20 students had died by suicide due to the NEET paper leak controversy. “90 paper leaks have occurred, the futures of millions of students have been ruined, 20 children have taken their own lives due to the NEET Paper Leak, families have been devastated. But the Education Minister of the Modi government, Dharmendra Pradhan, is clinging to his chair, and while giving interviews, he is calling the ‘students’ echo’ terrorists,” Kharge said.

The Congress chief further alleged that the BJP-led government brands anyone who questions it as anti-national. Referring to the farmers’ protests, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier labelled protesting farmers as “andolan-jeevi” and “parasites.”

Kharge asserted that the students’ movement would gain momentum across the country and demanded Pradhan’s resignation. “The country has not forgotten that Prime Minister Modi himself, in the full Parliament, had insultingly labelled the farmer benefactors ‘movement-livers’ and ‘parasites.’ Whoever questions this government is called an anti-national. Chhatron Ki Goonj will echo loudly across the entire country. Modi Minister Pradhan will have to resign,” he said.

Earlier, while speaking at an interview, Pradhan had said that the protests at Jantar Mantar demanding his resignation are the “B team of disruptive elements.” Speaking about the protesters at the interview, he said that they are the “B team of disruptive elements. Those who were rejected in democracy have come in disguise and are now after the system. They raise slogans for those who want to divide the country.”

Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal also criticised the Education Minister over the issue. In a post on X, Kejriwal said, “So much arrogance? The innocent children protesting against paper leaks want to tear the country into pieces… and you are saving the country by ruining their future, Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan? Wow.”
On June 21, the high-stakes re-examination for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2026 concluded across the country and 14 destinations abroad, even as the process remained under the shadow of the paper leak controversy.