NEW DELHI — Congress MP Shashi Tharoor launched a scathing attack on the Centre over the escalating NEET-UG paper leak crisis, declaring that thousands of sincere candidates stand “betrayed by the system.”
In an interaction with NDTV, the senior lawmaker condemned the police force used against student demonstrators at Jantar Mantar and criticized the brief detention of Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
Key Objections & Political Remarks
Tharoor highlighted candidate testimonies, police actions, and the broader democratic implications of the ongoing standoff:
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Critique of Rahul Gandhi’s Detention: Addressing the detention of Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi near the Prime Minister’s residence, Tharoor remarked that “a mature democracy” does not suppress opposition voices, arguing the administration lacks a coherent moral narrative.
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Reports of Excessive Force: Sharing accounts from his interaction with student protesters at Jantar Mantar, Tharoor detailed allegations of severe lathi-charges and injuries sustained by young demonstrators during their march to Parliament.
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Pushback Against “Weaponization” Claims: Rebuffing the ruling party’s allegations that Congress is “weaponizing” candidate outrage, Tharoor insisted that demanding accountability for large-scale institutional failures is a core democratic duty.
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Escalating Demonstrations: Protests in New Delhi continue to intensify, with activist Sonam Wangchuk undertaking a hunger strike alongside student bodies and opposition groups demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
