Priyanka Gandhi, KC Venugopal seek accountability over police action on NEET protesters

Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and K C Venugopal on Tuesday demanded accountability for the police action against NEET aspirants protesting in the national capital. The protesters, many of them students, had gathered to demand a probe into alleged paper leaks and irregularities in the medical entrance exam.

The demand came after visuals of police using force, including pellet guns, against the demonstrators sparked a political firestorm. Priyanka Gandhi took a sharp swipe at the government, asking whether peaceful protesters were now being treated as terrorists.

Priyanka Gandhi's sharp retort in Parliament

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Priyanka Gandhi targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the handling of the protests. “Are they terrorists? Why are pellet guns being used on students?” she asked, drawing attention to the injuries suffered by some protesters.

She then turned her fire on the government's media management. “Change the angle of your heart, not the camera,” she said, accusing the ruling party of trying to spin the narrative rather than address the core issue. The remark was a direct reference to the government's frequent emphasis on camera angles during debates.

Her comments were met with sharp reactions from Treasury benches, leading to a heated exchange. The clash centred on the proposed anti-paper-leak Bill, which the Opposition argued was being rushed through without addressing systemic failures.

Clash in Lok Sabha over anti-paper-leak Bill

The debate over the Bill saw the Opposition and the ruling party trade barbs. Congress leader K C Venugopal backed Priyanka Gandhi's demand, insisting that the government must explain why students were met with such force. “These are not criminals. They are future doctors demanding fairness,” he said.

In response, Union ministers accused the Opposition of politicising the issue. They defended the police action, citing the need to maintain law and order when protests turned unruly. However, they did not provide specific details on the number of protesters injured or the exact circumstances that led to the use of pellet guns.

The Bill itself aims to crack down on organised paper-leak rackets and standardise exam conduct. But critics say it does little to address the immediate grievances of students who have lost a year due to cancelled or delayed exams.

Questions over police conduct remain

As the protests continue, civil rights groups have joined the chorus demanding a probe into police conduct. Several students have alleged that they were beaten despite sitting peacefully. No official statement on the number of injured has been released by authorities yet.

The Congress leaders have sought a detailed report on the police action. They have also demanded compensation for injured students and a transparent investigation into the NEET paper leak allegations.

The government has not commented on the demand for accountability. The Home Ministry is yet to issue a response to the allegations of excessive force.

The Lok Sabha is expected to take up the anti-paper-leak Bill for further discussion later this week. All eyes will be on whether the government offers any clarity on the police action or sticks to its defence of law and order.