Mumbai, July 22 — Maharashtra Congress leaders on Wednesday launched a major protest against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to condemn the lathi charge on agitating students over the NEET paper leak and the treatment meted out to Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi, and other Congress MPs.
Congress organised a protest march from Gandhi Bhavan towards the BJP office in South Mumbai.
The party intended to reach the BJP office and present a copy of the Constitution; however, police intercepted and detained Congress leaders and office‑bearers near Regal Cinema. Protesters raised slogans such as “Modi Hatav, Desh Bachav” (Remove Modi, Save the Country) and “Jab jab Modi darta hai, police ko aage karta hai” (Whenever Modi fears, he hides behind the police).
The protest, led by Congress State President Harshwardhan Sapkal, saw participation from Legislature Party Leader Vijay Wadettiwar, Congress Working Committee member and former minister Naseem Khan, MLA Bhai Jagtap, former MP Bhalchandra Mungekar, former MP Husain Dalwai, and senior social activist Tushar Gandhi among others.
Sapkal alleged that the incompetence of the PM Modi government regarding the NEET question paper leak and examination irregularities has plunged the futures of lakhs of students into darkness. He said outraged students took to the streets only to face a brutal police lathi charge directed by the Modi‑Shah administration.
He remarked that democratic and constitutional values have been sidelined for the past 12 years. Sapkal said PM Modi misled the youth with unfulfilled promises of creating two crore jobs every year, noting that beyond the lack of employment, even examinations are not being conducted properly.
Sapkal highlighted that LoP Rahul Gandhi had demanded a discussion in Parliament regarding exam reform and paper leaks, but the PM Modi government chose to ignore it. He alleged that paper leaks are not limited to this year’s NEET exam, citing instances in which exam papers have leaked up to 71 times.
To advocate for affected students, the Congress Party and LoP Rahul Gandhi launched the “Chhatron Ki Goonj” campaign. Thousands of students gathered in Delhi to protest against the administration; however, Sapkal noted that the police unleashed severe force on them, including young men and women.
When LoP Rahul Gandhi protested near the Prime Minister’s residence to support student demands, the administration detained him alongside other Congress MPs and office‑bearers for three hours. Sapkal characterised these actions as authoritarian.
Sapkal further demanded that PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah tender a public apology for the police actions in Delhi and the treatment of students. The Congress Party’s core demands include immediate resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, an urgent parliamentary discussion regarding examination irregularities, and immediate withdrawal of all FIRs and cases registered against protesting students.
Sapkal affirmed that this fight will continue and that future strategies will be finalised following discussions with leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
Regarding the Maharashtra Bandh called by the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi on Thursday, Sapkal confirmed Congress’s support.
On the topic of Sharad Pawar’s meeting with PM Modi held today, Sapkal noted that only Pawar and leaders from his party could comment on the matter.