The Congress on Friday launched a campaign against the government's decision to hold NEET and JEE exams during the coronavirus pandemic, with former party chief Rahul Gandhi urging people to speak up for the safety of students.
The Congress and various opposition parties have demanded that NEET and JEE examinations be deferred due to the COVID-19 pandemic and floods in parts of the country, even as the Union government has made it clear that they will be held as per schedule with due precautions.
Gandhi tweeted his appeal as part of the party's campaign under which it is holding countrywide protests on Friday to oppose the government's decision to hold NEET, JEE exams.
"Unite your voice with lakhs of worried students...Let us demand from the government to listen to the students," he tweeted, tagging a video which emphasised the party's stand on the issue that the government must take into consideration the problems being faced by the students.
The Congress, on its official Twitter handle, said the government must be fair to all citizens when making decisions.
"We urge the BJP government to consider the implications of holding the JEE & NEET exams right now. Listen to the students and then make a decision," the party said.
It also posted videos of several senior Congress leaders voicing their opposition against the holding of the exams.
Congress general secretary organisation, KC Venugopal, had said on Wednesday that various state units of the Congress will be holding protests on Friday in front of central government offices at state and district headquarters.
While the NEET is slated to be held on September 13, engineering entrance exam JEE-Mains is scheduled between September 1-6.
Members of National Students' Union of India (NSUI) also staged protest across the country against the decision of conducting JEE and NEEt in September.
In Ahmedabad, members of National Students' Union of India (NSUI) were detained by police during a protest.
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) Chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy along with other party members on Friday staged a protest against conducting NEET and JEE Exams amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The Congress party has staged a protest to put forth the demand of postponing NEET and JEE exams. Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government in Delhi and KCR government in Telangana must not risk the lives and health of the candidates in Hyderabad. This is quite risky for the students. We are protesting for student's safety. We demand that these exams should be postponed," Reddy said while speaking to ANI.
During the protest by Congress in Delhi, leaders and workers, including its president Anil Kumar, were detained by police.
While the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) is scheduled to be held on September 13, engineering entrance exam JEE-Main has been planned from September 1-6. Around 8.58 lakh candidates have registered for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE)-Main and 15.97 lakh have registered for the NEET.
The exams have been deferred twice in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
