By Admin 
The opposition on Thursday intensified its protest against the central government in protest against the NEET paper leak and alleged lathicharge on students. Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi along with leaders of opposition parties reached Gandhi Smriti by bus with a copy of the Constitution in hand. Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was also present with him.
Reaching Gandhi Smriti, Rahul Gandhi said, “This is where our leader Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated. Today the Modi government is killing democracy in India. Students are being tortured and beaten. The opposition will not accept this. We are with the students and Prime Minister Narendra Modi should apologize to the country by removing Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.”
Government accused of repression
Priyanka Gandhi also targeted the central government and said, “We are destroying democracy in our own country. Children are being beaten. Students are only asking for justice, but they are being treated unfairly. It is completely wrong to lathi charge students who are demanding their rights.”
Before this, an important strategic meeting of INDIA alliance leaders was held at Rahul Gandhi’s residence. In the meeting, NEET paper leak, alleged lathicharge on students and the strategy to corner the government inside and outside the Parliament were discussed. After the meeting, Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders reached Gandhi Smriti.
Congress Parliamentary Party President Sonia Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leader Pramod Tiwari, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MPs Sanjay Yadav, Sudhakar Singh and Misa Bharti, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) MP Supriya Sule, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP Arvind Sawant, Trinamool Congress’s Mahua Moitra and Saugata Roy, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s Mahua Manjhi, CPI(M) MP John Brittas, Communist Party of India’s P. Santosh Kumar, Samajwadi Party’s Ramji Lal Suman and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML)’s E.T. Many opposition leaders including Mohammad Bashir participated.
According to sources, Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav could not attend the meeting due to the death of a senior leader.
Meeting of opposition leaders at Rahul’s house
Security arrangements were tightened outside Rahul Gandhi’s residence. Additional police force was deployed and people coming and going were kept under surveillance. Three buses were arranged at Rahul Gandhi’s residence, 5 Sunehri Bagh, to take opposition leaders to Gandhi Smriti. As a precautionary measure, Delhi Police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) were also deployed in Rajghat and surrounding areas.
It is noteworthy that the opposition is continuously cornering the central government on the issue of NEET paper leak. Protests are continuing at Jantar Mantar and the opposition is demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. On the other hand, the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), which is protesting at Jantar Mantar, has rejected the government’s proposal to hold talks at the residence or office of Union Minister JP Nadda, saying that the talks should be held at a neutral place. The party has also announced a nationwide agitation on July 24. This demonstration of the opposition is being considered very important politically amidst the NEET paper leak, students’ agitation and the ongoing deadlock in the Parliament.
Also read: Passports of people involved in violence during Cockroach Janata Party protest may be cancelled.