New Delhi: Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday renewed his demand for the removal of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, accusing him of being responsible for the alleged NEET paper leak and the ongoing crisis in the education system.Addressing a press conference, Gandhi also urged the Centre to act against those responsible for the police action on protesting students and called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apologise to the youth affected by the examination irregularities.The remarks came after the Centre held talks with representatives of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which has been leading protests over the alleged paper leak, and assured them that their demands would be considered. The government also recently announced the setting up of fast-track courts to deal with paper leak cases.Calling for the education minister’s dismissal, Rahul said: “Dharmendra Pradhan is a criminal education minister. He has to be removed. He is a symbol of the collapse of our education system. He has to go. He is the reason why thousands of people are outside. He has to go.”The Congress MP said that students and their families had suffered because of repeated examination irregularities and listed three demands on behalf of the protesters.“These students’ parents gave them opportunities through their hard-earned money. The government must stop lying. It has attacked the future of this country, and the youth are making just three demands. First, the Education Minister, whom they hold responsible for the situation, the paper leaks, and the circumstances that forced them to stage a peaceful protest, should be sacked. Second, action must be taken against those who fired pellet guns and carried out the lathi-charge against these young people. Third, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who heads the system, should apologise to the thousands of youths who have suffered because of this.”During the press conference, Lok Sabha LoP also presented a protestor whom he claimed had suffered pellet gun injuries during the recent protest at Jantar Mantar.“Many of them have sustained serious physical injuries. I cannot even say with certainty whether this young person’s eyesight can be saved. None of this is their fault. These are the three demands. Stop attacking our students, stop intimidating them, and fulfil these demands,” he added.Referring to the student standing beside him, Gandhi alleged that the government had falsely denied the use of pellet guns against protesters.“I want to explain that my brother standing here was injured by a pellet gun while he was peacefully protesting, holding the Tricolour. The government has said that no pellet gun was used. His eye has suffered damage, and he has lost his vision. Thousands of such youth were lathi-charged, and pellet guns were used against them. He gave an exam for police recruitment, but the paper was leaked.”The talks between the Centre and Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) will be held tomorrow amid the ongoing protest.
