New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday expressed serious concern over the ongoing students’ protest in Delhi and accused the opposition of attempting to use it as a “political tool” to fulfil its political interests.
Singh urged the opposition to raise issues in Parliament instead of on the streets.
His remarks came as protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar entered the second month, with more supporters joining the agitation.
Additionally, leaders of several opposition parties, wearing black clothes, held a demonstration outside Parliament on Wednesday to express solidarity with students protesting against the NEET paper leak issue.
“It is extremely unfortunate that some people are attempting to use the students and youth of our country as a political tool to fulfil their political interests,” Singh said in a post on X.
He said the Narendra Modi government is committed to fulfilling the aspirations of students and ensuring that no injustice is done to them.
“It is our responsibility to listen to every concern of our students and resolve it. I am fully confident that India’s aware, mature and sensible youth fully understand such deceptive attempts and will choose the path of progress, development and nation-building,” he said.
The defence minister alleged that some opposition leaders are displaying a “manufactured sense of anger” to confuse and mislead people, especially the youth.
“We are fully sensitive to the sentiments and concerns of the youth. Parliament is in session and the government has also stated its willingness to have meaningful debates on every issue,” Singh said.
He further accused the opposition of making an “inappropriate attempt” to resolve issues not in Parliament but on the streets.
Congress leaders, led by Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge, held a dharna outside the prime minister’s residence on Tuesday, demanding Modi’s resignation over the police action against students protesting the alleged NEET paper leak issue.
Besides Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and other opposition leaders were later detained by the police.
The defence minister said Parliament is the appropriate forum for discussions in a democracy and the opposition should allow the smooth functioning of the ongoing Monsoon session if it is serious about raising public issues.
“In a democracy, Parliament House is the place for discussion on issues, where the opposition is free to express its views. Therefore, if the opposition is serious, it should not disrupt the smooth functioning of the ongoing Monsoon session and should draw the country’s attention to all issues within Parliament,” he said.
