Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on Tuesday criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence, alleging that it was weakening the ongoing students' movement at Jantar Mantar over the alleged examination paper leak issue.
Rahul Gandhi, accompanied by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and several party leaders, began a dharna near the Prime Minister's residence demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and action over the alleged police crackdown on protesting students.
Reacting to the protest, Sanjay Singh took to X and claimed, "To weaken the CJP protest, Modi ji has made Rahul Gandhi sit on a dharna outside his residence."
In another post, the AAP leader questioned why the Congress was asking people to join its protest instead of supporting the students' agitation at Jantar Mantar.
"Sonam Wangchuk has been on an indefinite hunger strike for the country's youth for the last 23 days. Young people have been protesting at Jantar Mantar. On July 20, students were brutally beaten. Congress has been criticising this movement for a month, and now Rahul Gandhi is asking people to join his dharna instead of the one at Jantar Mantar. Why does the Congress want to weaken the youth movement? Why is it not asking people to join the Jantar Mantar protest?" Singh wrote.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Jitendra Singh met Rahul Gandhi at the protest site. According to sources, the government conveyed its willingness to hold a discussion in Parliament on the paper leak issue. However, the Congress remained firm on its demand for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation. The party also insisted that Union Home Minister Amit Shah make a statement in Parliament on the alleged police action against students before any discussion takes place.
Addressing supporters during the protest, Rahul Gandhi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi could not evade accountability. "An attack on students is an attack on every Indian family. The Prime Minister cannot escape without answering. The voice of India's students cannot be ignored," he said while urging citizens to join the Congress dharna.
The Congress has placed five key demands before the government: the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, a discussion on the NEET issue in Parliament, a statement by Home Minister Amit Shah on the alleged lathi-charge, an independent inquiry into the police action, and compensation for the injured students.
