New Delhi: The Congress will step up its tirade against the alleged scam in the pre-medical entrance test NEET-UG and will stage nationwide protests over the issue on June 21 and also raise the matter in Parliament to counter the Narendra Modi-led government.
According to party insiders, the alleged NEET scam involves lakhs of students, its targeted segment, and the party must take the issue to its logical conclusion. The party managers have taken a cue from Rahul Gandhi, who had flagged the issue soon after the National Testing Agency (NTA) announced the NEET-UG results on June 4, the day when the 2024 Lok Sabha poll results were also out.
Since then, the Congress raised the issue from the All India Congress Committee (AICC) platform several times, demanding a Supreme Court-monitored probe to explain the large-scale irregularities reported in the NEET-UG result.
The government initially brushed off the charges saying there were no irregularities but later acknowledged that some aspects of the pre-medical entrance exam needed examination.
The Congress has now directed its state units to stage protests in all the state capitals on June 21 and has asked the senior leaders to join the show of strength. The grand old party is also coordinating with the INDIA bloc parties to raise the issue during the special Parliament session starting June 24.
"Our leader Rahul Gandhi had taken up the issue of the NEET-UG exam as soon as the results were declared. It is a mystery why the results were declared on June 4 when the entire country was talking about the election results. It seems they knew that there was a storm brewing and they wanted to avoid any discussion on the NEET results. That is the reason we want a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into this entire scandal because the lives of 24 lakh young Indians cannot be toyed with," Senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha member Gaurab Gogoi told ETV Bharat.
The Congress leader said the opposition had emerged stronger during the 18th Lok Sabha and would not give the government an easy pass over burning issues.
"The INDIA bloc will take up the cause of the students because that is our responsibility. The government wants to run away and avoid their responsibility to the people of India. Now, the INDIA bloc has sufficient strength to bring the government to its knees and make them accountable to the students," added Gogoi.
According to AICC functionary BM Sandeep Kumar, the Centre's attitude towards the demand for a probe into the NEET-UG exam was irresponsible and insensitive as it had tasked the agency that conducted the controversial exam to probe the irregularities in the system.
"Ordinary families have been forced to cough up to Rs 30 lakhs due to promises given to them by the different coaching centres and examination centres. We believe that no inquiry can be just and fair and comprehensive if the probe is headed by the NTA themselves. The NTA chairperson should be removed from his post," Kumar told ETV Bharat.
"The issues related to the youth are a focus area and we had promised in the poll manifesto to address the concerns of the students on various counts. The NEET-UG is a system to select and train doctors for the country. If the system is not fair, the health care system would suffer. That will never be allowed," he added.
