The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has raised allegations against the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing them of working in tandem following a protest led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The demonstration, staged near the Prime Minister’s residence, was in response to the ongoing controversy surrounding the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). Sanjay Singh, an AAP Member of Parliament, criticized the government’s decision to permit Gandhi’s protest, suggesting it was a tactic to distract from the student-led movement demanding accountability for the NEET exam paper leak.
Atishi, the Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, echoed these sentiments by questioning the government’s handling of protests. She highlighted the apparent disparity in the treatment of demonstrators, noting that while students and activists faced restrictions and police intervention during protests near Parliament, Rahul Gandhi encountered no such barriers near the Prime Minister’s residence. Instead, he received a prompt response from government officials, which AAP argues undermined the broader public campaign against the NEET controversy.
The situation escalated when Union Minister Jitendra Singh met with Rahul Gandhi at the protest site, expressing the government’s readiness to discuss the issues related to NEET in Parliament. Despite this gesture, the protest concluded with the police detaining both Rahul Gandhi and several Congress Members of Parliament. This development has further fueled the tensions among opposition parties, with AAP accusing the Congress of facilitating BJP’s agenda by not fully aligning with the student movement.
AAP’s criticism underscores a growing rift among opposition parties, as they struggle to present a united front on significant issues such as the NEET controversy. The party contends that the Congress’s actions have inadvertently supported the BJP, diverting attention from the critical concerns raised by students. This allegation of unequal protest management and the subsequent political maneuvering highlight the complex dynamics at play within India’s opposition landscape.