New Delhi, July 21, 2026
Union Minister and Republican Party of India (A) chief, Ramdas Athawale, on Tuesday called out the lathi-charge unleashed by Delhi Police on anti-NEET paper leak protestors during their ‘Sansad Chalo’ march on Monday, while maintaining that the agitators, too, should exercise restraint.
Scores of students, led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), attempted to march to the Parliament on Monday demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for the May 3 NEET paper leak.
Speaking to IANS outside the Parliament House, Athawale maintained that the police were forced to carry out their responsibility as the protestors attempted to reach the Parliament.
However, he emphasised: “Lathi-charge should not have happened.”
Further, the Union Minister said that when students were stopped near Rail Bhavan, they should have restricted the protest there itself.
“They attempted to reach the Parliament that is why the lathi-charge took place. But I think this should not have happened. The students faced a lot of difficulties,” he added.
Referring to the CJP delegation’s meeting with Union Minister JP Nadda, he said: “There should be some kind of a solution from the meeting. We have also taken part in many protests…it should be restricted.”
He reiterated: “The protestors should not have been subjected to lathi-charge.”
Responding to questions over PM Modi’s statement on the NEET paper leak, made during the NDA’s ‘Mangal Milan’ programme today, he said: “The Prime Minister has explained about the NEET exam that whatever has happened is not right, and lakhs of students have faced difficulties. Those who have made such an attempt have all been caught, and they should be punished severely.”
“He (Prime Minister) has said that along with the Central government, it also the responsibility of the state governments and their administration to ensure that such instances don’t occur during exams,” Athawale said.
He asserted that the “government stands with ‘Yuva Shakti’.”
“We are in the government due to the youths. Whatever Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi is saying is baseless,” the Union Minister claimed.
He further mentioned that the government will take measures so that such type of paper leaks are not repeated.(Agency)
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