Protest in central Guntur presses Centre for accountability
GUNTUR: The Andhra Pradesh Congress on July 10 held a protest in Guntur against alleged irregularities in the NEET examination and demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, thenewsmill reported. The demonstration, led by Andhra Pradesh Congress Working President Shaik Mastan Vali, was organised with participation from the National Students' Union of India (NSUI).
Protesters marched from the Congress party office to the Gandhi statue at Emani Centre, carrying 22 symbolic funeral biers. According to the report, organisers said the biers represented students who had allegedly died as a consequence of problems related to the NEET examination.
“People’s leader and future Prime Minister Rahul Gandhi’s fight today is the echo and voice of the students. Because of the injustice done to students, Rahul Gandhi has started this nationwide struggle today,” Shaik Mastan Vali said, according to thenewsmill.
Allegations and demands
Addressing the gathering, Shaik Mastan Vali criticised the BJP-led Union government for what he described as a failure to ensure a fair examination process. He alleged that NEET question papers had leaked repeatedly over the past 12 years and said the exam had been conducted multiple times, affecting the futures of millions of students, the report added.
- Demand: Resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
- Allegation: Repeated leaks of competitive examination papers, including NEET and UGC, over the last 10–12 years.
- Symbolism: 22 funeral biers representing alleged student deaths linked to NEET problems.
Mastan Vali also claimed that, since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office, 50 exams had been leaked, naming NEET and UGC exams as examples in his address, the report said. He appealed to parents’ anxieties about the consequences of paper leaks on their children's careers and mental health.
Context and wider mobilisation
The Guntur action followed a nationwide call by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the report noted. Organisers framed the protest as part of a larger mobilisation demanding accountability from the Centre for what they characterised as systemic failures in the conduct of high‑stakes examinations.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date | July 10 |
| Route | Congress party office to Gandhi statue at Emani Centre |
| Leaders | Shaik Mastan Vali; participation by NSUI |
| Key symbolism | 22 symbolic funeral biers |
The protesters accused the Union government of indifference and demanded concrete action to safeguard the futures of students preparing for professional courses. Shaik Mastan Vali used pointed language in his remarks, saying the nation's Prime Minister remained silent while students' futures were jeopardised, the report said.
What organisers say they seek
Organisers sought accountability from the Centre and a public response to the allegations of repeated paper leaks in major competitive examinations. They sought the resignation of the Union Education Minister as a precondition for trust in the examination system, according to the thenewsmill report.
No immediate response from Union Education Ministry spokespeople or the BJP was recorded in the report. The protest is part of wider political pressure in Andhra Pradesh and nationally around the conduct of high‑stakes examinations, with student groups and opposition parties using public demonstrations to demand reforms and transparency.
Local residents, students and parents watching the rally were left to weigh the broader claims about systemic leaks against official processes for exam oversight and investigation. The issue remains politically charged and likely to prompt further statements and possible action by electoral and educational stakeholders.
