Following the protests in Delhi, demonstrations over the NEET paper leak have spread across the country. On Wednesday, women Congress workers armed with sticks were deployed outside the party office in Lucknow to prevent BJP workers from entering.
The BJP has been staging protests outside Congress offices in several states after the Congress demonstration near the Prime Minister’s residence.
In Patna, clashes broke out between Congress and BJP workers, with both sides pelting stones. Police also carried out a lathi-charge on students demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. In Jaipur, police used water cannons to disperse BJP workers attempting to surround the Congress office.
In Varanasi, police detained Congress workers during a protest.
In Madhya Pradesh, Congress MLAs wore black armbands in the Assembly as demonstrations continued both inside the House and on the streets. Meanwhile, in Chhattisgarh, Congress workers staged a protest outside Lok Bhavan.
See what happened where in this story
Patna: Police use lathi-charge, tear gas and water cannons on students
In Bihar’s Patna, police resorted to lathi-charge, water cannons and tear gas after students marching towards Raj Bhavan allegedly broke through barricades erected at JP Golambar.
The students were demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and said their march was being carried out in solidarity with the ongoing protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar against alleged paper leaks, corruption in the education system and the privatisation of education.
Police first stopped the march by barricading the road and asked the students to return. However, after protesters breached the barricades and attempted to move ahead, police used water cannons, fired tear gas shells and carried out a lathi-charge to disperse the crowd.
Several students were reportedly injured during the action. Following the crackdown, the protesters staged a sit-in on the road for around 20 minutes before once again breaking through the barricades and continuing their march towards Raj Bhavan.
Meanwhile, BJP workers also staged protests in Patna against the Congress over the issue.
Police used water cannons on protesting students
Police also fired tear gas shells
Students showed broken sticks and said that police beat them with these
Congress and BJP workers clash in Patna; stones and sticks thrown during protest
A clash broke out between Congress and BJP workers in Patna on Wednesday, with both sides allegedly using sticks and throwing stones during a confrontation.The incident took place when BJP leaders arrived to protest outside the Congress office. The situation escalated into a physical clash between workers of both parties.
BJP leaders alleged that Congress workers were already prepared with stones and sticks before the confrontation. Police personnel were present at the spot but, according to reports, did not immediately intervene.
There was stone pelting between Congress and BJP leaders in Patna.
Congress workers detained in Varanasi during protest over Rahul Gandhi’s detention
Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP) workers took to the streets of Varanasi on Wednesday to protest the detention of Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav in Delhi.
As Congress workers attempted to reach the Ambedkar statue, a confrontation broke out with police. Several protesters were dragged away and detained by security personnel.
In Bahraich, police placed five SP leaders, including SP MLA Anand Yadav, under house arrest. A heavy police deployment has also been stationed outside Banaras Hindu University (BHU) to maintain law and order.
In Kashi, the police took away Congress workers by hanging them.
Chandrashekhar Azad’s 40-hour protest; Oppn demands Pradhan’s resignation
Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad has continued his sit-in protest in Delhi for 40 hours, braving heavy rain during his demonstration in the Parliament complex.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav arrived at Parliament wearing black as a mark of protest. He joined Opposition MPs, including those from the Congress, in raising slogans demanding “Dharmendra Pradhan resign” over the NEET issue.
The Opposition has been demanding accountability from the government and a discussion on the concerns raised by protesting students.
Chandrashekhar Azad is protesting outside Parliament against the lathicharge. He wrote, “Injustice against the innocent is unacceptable. We must answer.”
MP Assembly disrupted
The third day of the monsoon session of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly witnessed a massive uproar. Congress MLAs, including Leader of the Opposition Umang Singhar, arrived at the Assembly wearing black bands to protest the assault on students at Jantar Mantar and the detention of Rahul and Akhilesh. They demanded a discussion in the House. However, the Speaker of the Assembly refused to allow it. This sparked a massive uproar in the House.
Congress MLAs protesting in Madhya Pradesh Assembly.
Congress workers perform bhajan-kirtan in Chhattisgarh, surround Lok Bhavan
Chhattisgarh Congress leaders and workers surrounded Lok Bhavan in support of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. During the protest, scuffles broke out between Congress workers and police.
There was a scuffle between Congress workers and police in Raipur.
During the demonstration, Congress workers performed bhajan-kirtan.
PM Modi’s effigy burnt in Yamunanagar, Haryana
In Yamunanagar, the Haryana Congress beat an effigy of PM Modi with sticks and slippers and then set it on fire. Meanwhile, in Bhiwani, Congress workers who reached the DC’s office were stopped by police at the gate. Meanwhile, factionalism was evident in the Congress protest in Hisar.
Protests are taking place in Panchkula, Kurukshetra, and Karnal. Meanwhile, in Fatehabad, members of various organizations took out a foot march and raised slogans against the BJP government. In Sirsar, JJP leaders and workers also staged a sit-in at the gate of the Mini Secretariat to protest the lathicharge.
In Yamunanagar, PM Modi’s effigy was beaten with slippers and set on fire.
Protesters boarded a police bus in Ahmedabad
Congress staged a sit-in at Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan in Ahmedabad. Then, a rally was organized, in which a large number of workers participated. When the police tried to stop the rally, there was a scuffle between Congress leaders and workers. Police detained several leaders and workers, including State Congress President Shaktisinh Gohil, senior leader Amit Chavda, and MLA Imran Khedawala, by hanging them into a police vehicle. During the rally, some Congress workers even climbed onto a police bus.
Police dragging Congress workers away.
What is the controversy?
The nationwide protests centre on allegations of irregularities in the NEET examination and growing demands for reforms in the country’s examination system.
Student organisations and opposition parties have demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, a transparent investigation into the alleged paper leak, and reforms aimed at preventing such incidents in future examinations.
Social activist Sonam Wangchuk has also joined the movement and is observing a hunger strike, demanding the resignation of the Union Education Minister over the alleged paper leak controversy.
