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'Most anti-youth PM ever': Rahul Gandhi attacks Narendra Modi in first reaction on CJP march
Accusing PM Narendra Modi of being “the most youth-hostile PM”, Rahul Gandhi said the punishment for the alleged paper leaks was given to the students.
Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, slammed the Narendra Modi government at the centre in his first reaction to the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest march to the parliament on Monday, saying the students raising valid concerns were “dragged and beaten”.
Accusing PM Modi of being “the most youth-hostile Prime Minister”, Gandhi said the punishment for the alleged paper leaks was given to the students rather than the perpetrators.
“Prime Minister Modi is the most anti-youth Prime Minister in India's history—so youth-hostile that he can't even demand the resignation of a failed Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan. 152 paper leaks. 7.5 crore students victimised. And not a single guilty person punished. Who got the punishment? The hardworking youth,” Rahul Gandhi said on X.
“And when these children raised legitimate questions about education—they were met with batons and detention in response. The criminals who leaked the papers roam free—and the students raising valid issues are dragged around, beaten. This government isn't just failing the youth—it's pouncing on them,” he added.
In a later post on X, Gandhi said: “Peaceful protest is a sacred and fundamental right. Every police officer and govt official blindly following orders to attack India’s innocent students should keep in mind: The Constitution is your master. Power is not permanent. Accountability will follow.”
Priyanka Gandhi also targets the government
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also questioned the police action against students protesting over the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, calling them "Bache hai hamare", and accused the Centre of being unwilling to discuss issues related to the education policy in Parliament.
Speaking to reporters outside Parliament during the opening day of the Monsoon Session, Priyanka Gandhi alleged that while the Opposition was seeking a discussion on pressing concerns in the education sector, students protesting on the issue were being met with force.
"We are all asking for a discussion. There are problems and major issues with the education policy. Yet, you are unwilling to discuss it; instead, you are using tear gas on the students and beating them up. For what? They are our children," Priyanka Gandhi said.
Nadda meets CJP
Union Minister and former BJP national president JP Nadda on Monday said members of the CJP had approached the government for talks for the first time and urged them to call off their sit-in after discussions concluded. The CJP's representatives said he told them only that he would discuss the matter internally.
“This morning, for the first time, a proposal came from the protesters to hold talks with the government, and our discussions have been ongoing since 11:50 AM,” Nadda wrote on X.
Describing the meeting as cordial, Nadda said the government held detailed discussions with the CJP delegation, which also submitted a written petition. "The meeting took place in a cordial atmosphere. An initial verbal discussion was held in detail with their delegation, and they submitted a written petition to me around 4 PM," he said.
Nadda said he had urged the protesters to call off their agitation and cooperate with the authorities.
From the CJP's side, after meeting Nadda, spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said, “We came to Nadda ji's residence at around 12. We met him at around 2:15 pm. We placed three demands before him. First, Sonam Wangchuk ji should be released immediately and allowed to address people through a video message. Second, Dharmendra Pradhan ji, whom we consider an incompetent education minister, should either be removed immediately or his resignation should be accepted. Third, the families of the students who died by suicide following the NEET paper leak should be given compensation of ₹1 crore each.”
He said that after another round of talks at 4 pm, “Nadda ji said he would discuss these demands with the senior leadership and communicate their decision to us".
Asked what assurance they got from Nadda, Ranka said, “The only assurance I received was that he would discuss the matter with the senior leadership, and whatever is decided will be conveyed to us soon.”
