New Delhi: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on July 21 said the Centre remains fully committed to holding a comprehensive discussion on the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and addressing the concerns of students on the floor of Parliament, while criticising the Congress for staging a protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence.
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan tweets, "… LoP Rahul Gandhi and Congress chose to stage a dharna outside the Hon'ble Prime Minister's residence , causing inconvenience to the public and disregarding established security protocols. Even after Government conveyed its… pic.twitter.com/bUsk72G3fb
— ANI (@ANI) July 21, 2026
In a post on X, Pradhan said Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress leaders chose to hold a dharna outside the Prime Minister’s residence despite the government’s readiness for a detailed debate on the issue in Parliament.
“LoP Rahul Gandhi and Congress chose to stage a dharna outside the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s residence, causing inconvenience to the public and disregarding established security protocols. Even after Government conveyed its readiness for a comprehensive discussion, the Congress chose political spectacle over democratic debate,” the minister wrote.
He further reiterated the government’s position, stating that it remains committed to discussing every genuine concern of students and youth through parliamentary proceedings.
“Our Government remains 100 per cent committed to discussing NEET and addressing every genuine concern of our youth on the floor of the House,” Pradhan added.
According to Pradhan, Parliament is the appropriate forum for discussing matters of national importance, including concerns related to NEET and education reforms. He maintained that the government has already expressed its willingness to hold a detailed discussion on the issue.
The CJP protest in Delhi, which began as a march towards Parliament from Jantar Mantar, witnessed large-scale damage to government property after clashes broke out between protesters and security personnel. According to Delhi Police, the violence resulted in vandalism of government vehicles, damaged barricades, and destruction of other public property, prompting the registration of multiple FIRs and a detailed investigation.
Delhi Police stated that protesters allegedly attempted to breach multiple security barricades erected around the Parliament area. During the confrontation, 15 to 20 government vehicles, along with other government property, were vandalised. Barricades installed to secure the Parliament complex were damaged as protesters tried to advance despite prohibitory orders.
Following the violence, Delhi Police registered multiple FIRs under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for offences including rioting, assault on public servants, unlawful assembly, and damage to public property. Investigators are examining CCTV footage, drone recordings, and social media videos to identify those responsible for the vandalism and attacks.
