NEET protest: Oppn compares police action to Hitler, Jallianwala Bagh massacre
The Samajwadi Party and Congress criticised the BJP-led Centre over the NEET paper leak and the Delhi Police action against protesters. Opposition leaders demanded accountability, condemned the use of force, and raised the issue during the Monsoon Session of Parliament
New Delhi: The Samajwadi Party and the Congress on Tuesday launched a blistering attack on the BJP-led NDA, on the second day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, questioning the government’s accountability over the NEET paper leak and likening the Delhi Police’s action against the agitators during their protest march to that of Adolf Hitler and the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
Scores of people, led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), undertook a march to the Parliament demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for the May 3 NEET paper leak.
Speaking to reporters outside the Parliament House, Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Akhilesh Yadav said: “Since Independence, no one could have imagined such kind of a behaviour by an elected government. People got injured on their heads and had to receive stitches, even got inflicted with fractures and tear gas was also used.”
Referring to a video posted on his X handle, the SP chief said: “Doctors are saying that people have come in with cracked skulls. The government should get them treated. This is the government’s responsibility.”
Drawing comparison of the police action to that of Adolf Hitler, he said: “Hitler used to carry out such things, and now we are witnessing it under the BJP-led regime. It is unacceptable in a democracy.”
“Was the government formed for this day and for this they used the slogan ‘Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas’? Is this the message for the youths?” the SP chief questioned.
Congress MP Jebi Mather drew similarities between the police action and the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
“In 1919, the Jallianwala Bagh massacre happened, where the British tried to suppress the voices of Indians through bullets. The British left, but their methods continue to this day. Our students came out for a peaceful protest, but in 2026, at Jantar Mantar, they faced barricades, lathi charges, and tear gas. This is not how it should happen. Students should not be afraid to raise their voices, speak, or ask questions. They have the right to ask questions,” she told IANS.
Questioning the Centre’s accountability over conducting the NEET-UG exam, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram said: “It is the nation’s responsibility to run a robust, efficient, and honest examination system. But the examination system does not seem to be honest, which is why we are seeing consistent paper leaks. The government is not fixing accountability on anyone. The Minister, Secretary, and the NTA- no one is being held responsible. You cannot run military-style operations every time an examination is conducted.”
Congress MP Deepender Hooda added that the patience and restraint of the country’s youth have now “broken”.
“The government should have taken the youth into confidence, but it did not. The brutality shown by the Delhi Police yesterday cannot be condemned enough. The Delhi Police Commissioner must answer on whose orders such an extent of lathi-charge and tear gas were unleashed,” he said.
Congress MP K.C. Venugopal also held the BJP-led Centre responsible for the action against the agitators.
“How many students are in the hospital now? What crime have they committed? Only peaceful protest, is that also not allowed in this country?” he asked.
Congress MP Praniti Shinde called the police action against students “unacceptable”.
“The students were saying that they were peaceful protesters. These are people from our own country; they are not outsiders. If you treat the people of your own country in this manner, do you really have the right to remain in power?” she asked while speaking to IANS.
Meanwhile, Congress MP Pawan Khera alleged that ruling coalition MPs prevented Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge from speaking in the House on Tuesday.
“Kharge ‘sahab’ was raising the issue of yesterday’s violence. Our demand is that the Home Minister (Amit Shah) should address both Houses regarding the brutal action on the youths by Delhi Police,” he said.
“The paper leak and student suicides will also be a part of the discussion,” he added.
