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Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi has mounted a scathing attack on the Narendra Modi government over its handling of nationwide student protests linked to the NEET paper leak controversy, accusing the Centre of responding to peaceful demonstrations with force instead of dialogue. In an opinion piece published in The Hindu, Gandhi alleged that the government had treated India's youth "not as inheritors of the future but as enemies of the nation" and urged it to immediately end what she described as a police crackdown on students.

The Congress leader argued that those protesting were demanding accountability and reforms in the education system, and called on the government to engage with them rather than suppress their voices.

Sonia Gandhi Condemns July 20 Police Action

Focusing on the July 20 march to Parliament by student protesters, Gandhi described the day as "a day of infamy" and alleged that Delhi Police and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) used excessive force to disperse demonstrators.

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi said that over the past few weeks, peaceful protests led by students across the country over examination paper leaks and the declining state of the education system have gained momentum. She said the protesters were making simple and clear demands, accountability from the Union government and meaningful reforms in the education sector.

She alleged that the Narendra Modi government had responded to the students' movement with "cowardice and wanton cruelty", accusing it of treating the country's youth "not as inheritors of the future but as enemies of the nation", as per reports. She further claimed that images emerging from the protests were among the "most depressing visuals of youth," alleging that students suffered injuries from pellets and stating that "This can neither be forgiven or forgotten."

Drawing comparisons with the 2020 CAA-NRC protests and the wrestlers' agitation, Gandhi said the government had failed to engage with young people aspiring to become doctors, engineers, teachers, civil servants and entrepreneurs.

Raises Concerns Over Education Funding

Beyond the protests, Gandhi argued that the current unrest reflected deeper problems in India's education system. She claimed that the Union government's allocation for school education had declined by 50 per cent, while funding for higher education had fallen by 33 per cent.

She also alleged that nearly one lakh government schools had shut over the past 12 years, while around 43,000 private schools had opened during the same period, many of which she claimed were run by organisations affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

According to Gandhi, the growing dependence on private coaching institutes has placed an enormous financial burden on families, with spending on NEET coaching alone rivaling the government's expenditure on public education.

Questions NTA's Functioning, Seeks Accountability

The Congress leader also criticised the National Testing Agency (NTA), alleging that excessive centralisation of entrance examinations through tests such as the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) had weakened the country's examination system.

In her article, Gandhi claimed the NTA remained understaffed and relied extensively on private contractors to conduct examinations. She further alleged that India had witnessed 152 examination paper leaks over the past 12 years, including nine involving the NTA since its establishment in 2017.

She argued that the combined effects of privatisation, commercialisation and centralisation had eroded public confidence in the examination process while leaving graduates with limited employment opportunities.

Gandhi also targeted Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, alleging that he ignored recommendations made by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education to strengthen the NTA because Opposition members were part of the panel. She said his refusal to accept responsibility or resign despite repeated controversies surrounding public examinations had intensified public anger.