Patna (PTI): Congress leaders and workers on Wednesday took out a candlelight march here demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The candlelight march, organised as part of Congress' nationwide 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' campaign held across 120 cities, was held from Patna College to Kargil Chowk in the state capital.
Congress national spokesperson Ragini Nayak said that the NEET examination paper leak shattered the aspirations of lakhs of students, with over 20 students committing suicide in despair.
"Twenty-two students died by suicide after becoming disillusioned following the latest NEET paper leak. This candlelight march has been organised to pay tribute to them," she said.
Nayak said the march also aimed to express solidarity with students whose examinations were cancelled or reconducted and with those who, she alleged, were subjected to police baton charges, abuse and tear gas during protests.
"Through this symbolic march, we want to assure every affected student that each Congress worker stands firmly with them in their struggle," she said.
Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary and former DUSU president Neetu Verma Soin alleged that students protesting against examination irregularities at Jantar Mantar had been subjected to brutal police action.
"When farmers protest, they are labelled anti-national. When women wrestlers protest, they are beaten. Now students raising their voices against the disorder in the education system and the NEET paper leak are being lathi-charged, assaulted and mistreated," she alleged.
The Congress leader accused the police of misbehaving with female students, which, she said, contradicts the government's slogan of 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao'.
She also criticised the government's handling of opposition protests, claiming that elected MPs were prevented from raising public concerns and were dragged on the street.
"Congress will continue its campaign against the government's authoritarianism," Soin said.
Soin also demanded the withdrawal of FIRs lodged against students who participated in protests at Jantar Mantar and reiterated the party's demand for Pradhan's resignation.
This report was published from a wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.