The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has raised concerns over the recent actions of the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging a coordinated effort between the two. This follows a protest led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi near the Prime Minister’s residence, addressing the ongoing NEET controversy. AAP MP Sanjay Singh criticized the protest, suggesting it was permitted by the government as a tactic to draw attention away from the student-led campaign seeking accountability for the NEET paper leak.
Further criticism came from Atishi, the Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, who highlighted the disparity in how protests were handled. She noted that while student activists faced restrictions and police interventions during their demonstrations near Parliament, Rahul Gandhi’s protest near the Prime Minister’s residence was not only allowed but also received a prompt governmental response. This, she argued, underlined a double standard in the treatment of protests.
The situation escalated when Union Minister Jitendra Singh engaged with Rahul Gandhi at the protest site, stating that the government was willing to engage in discussions regarding NEET-related concerns in Parliament. Despite this assurance, the protest concluded with the police detaining Rahul Gandhi along with several Congress Members of Parliament.
These events have intensified the rift among opposition parties, with AAP accusing the Congress of undermining the broader student movement by allegedly assisting the BJP indirectly. The AAP’s allegations suggest that the protest by Rahul Gandhi weakened the larger campaign for student rights by diverting media and public focus away from the core issues raised by the students.