Murli Manohar Joshi backs protesting students, calls out 'police brutality'

Veteran BJP leader and former party president Murli Manohar Joshi on Thursday expressed support for students protesting over the alleged NEET paper leak, saying their anxieties and concerns regarding the examination system were "genuine" and deserved an empathetic response.

In a post on X, Joshi also criticised the police action against the protesters on Monday, describing it as "merciless". He said the issue should not be treated merely as a law-and-order problem and warned that the use of force could alienate large sections of society from the national goal of Viksit Bharat.

"It is painful to see young students from different parts of the country assembled for days on the streets of New Delhi. Their anxieties and concerns regarding the examination system are genuine and must be handled with empathy and a desire to find a lasting solution," Joshi said.

He said it was particularly distressing to see the treatment of women protesters during the police action.

"It is very painful to see that even young girls were brutally mishandled," the former Union minister said.

Joshi urged the authorities to address the students' concerns through dialogue and constructive engagement rather than coercive measures.

"I fervently hope that this is not treated merely as a law-and-order issue to be tackled through the use of force," he said.

His remarks come amid continuing protests by students demanding action over the alleged NEET paper leak and greater transparency and accountability in the conduct of competitive examinations. The demonstrations have triggered a wider political debate, with opposition parties and several public figures criticising the police action against protesters and calling for reforms to restore confidence in the examination system.