NEET protests spreads nationwide as Opposition steps up pressure on Centre

The agitation over the alleged NEET paper leak gathered momentum across the country on Friday, a day after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) called for nationwide demonstrations, with protests reported from Maharashtra, West Bengal, Karnataka, Punjab, Haryana, Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

The protesters condemned the Delhi Police crackdown on students during the 20 July march to Parliament and renewed demands for the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged examination irregularities.

With the movement spreading across states, the Congress directed its state units to organise candlelight marches and 'satyagrahas' in every district on Saturday evening to protest what it described as irregularities in the NEET and CBSE examinations and the Modi government's subsequent crackdown on students.

In Mumbai, thousands gathered at Shivaji Park in Dadar for a 'Tiranga Morcha' organised by the Shiv Sena (UBT). Addressing the rally, party leader Aaditya Thackeray said he had urged CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke not to return to Maharashtra until the protesters' demands were met.

Carrying the national flag and placards, students and activists marched through the city raising slogans demanding 'Azaadi (freedom) from dictatorship and paper leaks', while posters of Bhagat Singh and B.R. Ambedkar were prominently displayed.

In neighbouring Pune, students, lawyers, professionals and members of civil society braved heavy rain to participate in a four-kilometre march from the historic Shaniwarwada fort to the district collector's office. Organised by the CJP, the march demanded Pradhan's resignation and condemned the police action against protesters in Delhi.

In Nagpur, the mother of a NEET aspirant who allegedly died by suicide after the exam was cancelled in May addressed a protest gathering, calling for the resignation of both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pradhan.

West Bengal witnessed one of the day's most volatile demonstrations. In Kolkata, clashes broke out between Left-affiliated student organisations and police after protesters blocked Dorina Crossing in the Esplanade area. Demonstrators allegedly hurled shoes and water bottles at security personnel, prompting police to resort to a lathi-charge and fire tear gas shells. Traffic in central Kolkata remained severely disrupted for several hours as police struggled to clear the area.

Karnataka saw both protests and counter-protests. Student organisations, Dalit groups, Youth Congress activists and civil society organisations demonstrated against the alleged NEET irregularities and the reported police action in Delhi, while the BJP staged protests over the attack on its workers during an agitation outside the Congress office in Bengaluru earlier this week. Police detained several protesters and maintained heavy security to prevent rival groups from clashing.

In Chandigarh and Haryana's Kaithal, students were joined by farmers and social activists in demonstrations demanding Pradhan's resignation and condemning the Delhi Police crackdown. Carrying placards reading 'Take Responsibility, Save Students', 'Enough is Enough', 'Raise Your Voice' and 'Please Save My Future', protesters marched to the district mini secretariat, while lawyers from the Kaithal Bar Association staged a dharna outside the bar room.

Educational institutions in parts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh observed a bandh following a call by Left-affiliated student organisations. The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) also organised protests demanding Pradhan's resignation, while student organisations including the Students' Federation of India (SFI), the All India Students' Federation (AISF) and the Progressive Democratic Students Union (PDSU) claimed the shutdown had received widespread support.

In Kerala, Youth Congress activists took out a march in Kollam in support of the CJP-led agitation and students protesting alleged irregularities in NEET and other national-level examinations. Separately, BJP Yuva Morcha workers marched to the Cliff House, the official residence of the chief minister, accusing the state government of adopting "double standards" over recruitment-related issues.

Protests also continued in Tamil Nadu, where hundreds of students renewed their demand for the abolition of NEET and the resignation of Pradhan. A round-the-clock sit-in at Balan Illam gathered momentum during the day, drawing more than 500 participants, including members of the film industry. Protesters later attempted to march towards Lok Bhavan in Guindy but were stopped by the police.

With PTI inputs