NEW DELHI, July 25 (V7N)— Indian Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has stated that the three core demands raised by protesting students are entirely non-negotiable, demanding the immediate dismissal of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET question paper leak controversy.
According to reports by the Hindustan Times, Gandhi made the remarks in a statement and social media updates following a meeting with protesting students—including those injured during recent demonstrations—at his New Delhi residence on Saturday.
Mounting a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid the escalating nation-wide movement, Gandhi characterized Modi as India's "past" and the protesting youth as the country's "future," asserting that the past can never defeat the future.
Gandhi alleged that the full power of the state and government apparatus is being deployed to intimidate and suppress the student movement. However, he urged the demonstrators to remain firm and unyielding.
"I told the students not to worry. Even if the entire government of India and all its power are used against you, you cannot be moved. They can threaten or try to shut things down, but we will not back down," Gandhi told reporters.
Reiterating his solidarity, the Congress leader called on Prime Minister Modi to issue a public apology to students injured during police action and rejected any potential government plans to merely reassign Dharmendra Pradhan to another ministry, insisting that nothing short of his complete removal from the Cabinet will be accepted.
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