Today, June 21, the Congress Party organised widespread protests demanding a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the alleged irregularities in the controversial National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test - Undergraduate (NEET-UG) 2024 examination, reports PTI. Demonstrations took place in Chandigarh, Lucknow, and Ranchi, with party leaders emphasising the need for accountability and justice for the affected students.
In Chandigarh, Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring led the state unit's protest. Addressing party workers and leaders near the Punjab Congress' state unit office, Warring criticised the Narendra Modi government for its handling of the NEET-UG examination. "What is the fault of the lakhs of children whose future is at stake? Parents and their children are worried. But the prime minister has not spoken a word on this," he said, states PTI.
According to PTI, Warring, along with other leaders and workers, was briefly detained by the police while attempting to move towards the state BJP office, citing the imposition of prohibitory orders under Section 144. Punjab Congress leader and MP Dharamvira Gandhi expressed frustration over the police's actions, stating, "We are not even allowed to hold a peaceful protest. We wanted to move to the state BJP office to hold a protest there. But police detained us and did not allow us to move there citing imposition of prohibitory orders under Section 144."
In Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh Congress workers, led by state chief Ajay Rai, demanded the cancellation of the NEET exam, citing the government's failure to conduct the test fairly. "The government has failed to hold a prestigious exam like the NEET in a fair manner. They have now cancelled the NET exam too," Rai said, reports PTI.
Simultaneously, in Ranchi, Jharkhand Congress workers, led by state president Rajesh Thakur, staged a protest march from Sahid Chowk to Raj Bhavan, covering approximately two kilometres. Thakur accused the Central government of being "silent" on the serious issue. "We demand cancellation of the examinations and arrest of the persons who were involved in the crime," he stated. Protesters also called for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The NEET-UG examination, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on May 5, saw around 24 lakh candidates participating across 4,750 centres. The results, initially expected on June 14, were announced early on June 4. Allegations of question paper leaks in states like Bihar have fueled widespread protests and led to petitions being filed in several high courts as well as the Supreme Court.
