India
oi-Prakash KL
Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Tuesday claimed that the Centre accepted Rahul Gandhi’s initial demand for a discussion in Parliament on the NEET issue, but the Congress leader later added a fresh condition seeking the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan before agreeing to end the opposition’s sit-in protest.
In a statement shared on X, Singh said he, along with Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, was deputed by the government to meet Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other senior leaders who were staging a protest near Akbar Road on Tuesday evening.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh stated the government accepted Rahul Gandhi’s initial demand for a Parliament discussion on the NEET issue, but Gandhi later added a condition seeking Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation to end the protest.
According to Singh, the government requested Rahul Gandhi to call off the protest, saying the location was not designated for demonstrations and was causing inconvenience to the public. He said Rahul Gandhi initially agreed to end the sit-in if the government assured a discussion in Parliament on all issues related to NEET and the ongoing student agitation.
Singh said the government accepted the demand after obtaining approval from the “top leadership” and conveyed its willingness to hold a discussion in Parliament. However, he alleged that Rahul Gandhi subsequently insisted on a second condition – the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Delhi: Union Minister Jitendra Singh leaves Union Home Minister Amit Shahs residence after meeting him pic.twitter.com/h6i0RDC0kR
— IANS (@ians_india) July 21, 2026
“When he was reminded that earlier he had only demanded discussion, he said his demands had changed,” Singh claimed. He further alleged that Rahul Gandhi maintained it was his “prerogative” to alter his demands and to continue the protest at the venue despite being informed that it was unsuitable for a sit-in.
Calling the Congress leader’s conduct “unfortunate”, Singh said the government remained prepared to discuss the NEET issue and the related student movement in Parliament. He also alleged that the Congress had not submitted any formal notice seeking a discussion under parliamentary rules.
Earlier in the day, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and several opposition leaders staged a protest near Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence, demanding the resignations of the Prime Minister and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET paper leak and police action against student protesters.
VIDEO | Delhi: Union Minister Jitendra Singh arrives at Lok Kalyan Marg and speaks with Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi amid the Congress ongoing protest.#Delhi pic.twitter.com/BvM0k3pfo5
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 21, 2026
The protest followed a police crackdown on the Cockroach Janata Party’s (CJP) march to Parliament on Monday. Congress leaders accused the Centre of using excessive force against students and demanded accountability over the alleged irregularities in the NEET examination.
The protesting students and the Congress have continued to demand a discussion on the alleged NEET paper leak, the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and compensation for the families of students who allegedly lost their lives amid the controversy.
