Congress Leader Criticizes Education Minister on NEET Issues

Congress Leader Targets Education Minister

On Friday, Congress leader Pawan Khera directed his criticism towards Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. In response to birthday wishes extended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Pradhan on social media platform X, Khera shared a post listing the names of several students who had tragically passed away while preparing for the NEET exam.

Earlier that day, Modi had congratulated Pradhan on his birthday, commending his efforts in implementing the National Education Policy (NEP).

In his post, Modi expressed his wishes for Pradhan's long and healthy life, stating, 'Happy birthday to Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. He is making commendable efforts towards implementing the National Education Policy, aimed at making India a hub of knowledge, education, and innovation.' Khera responded with a message saying, 'Dear Dharmendra Uncle, happy birthday. Today you turn 57. We haven't even reached half your age.'

Along with his message, Khera shared a list of deceased students who were preparing for NEET, including Ritik Mishra, Anshika Pandey, Bhagyashree, Umesh Mali, Riya Kumari Thapa, Anukirtana, Reema Begum, Siddharth Hegde, Pradeep Meghwal, Shivani Yadav, Renu Meena, Akanksha, Kahan Patel, and Maithili Sonawane. Khera's post comes at a time when the opposition is persistently criticizing the central government over alleged discrepancies in competitive exams and the reported deaths of students preparing for NEET.

The day before, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also launched a sharp attack on Pradhan, accusing him of disrespecting students and demanding an apology to the youth of the nation along with his resignation. In a post on X, Gandhi alleged that the central government had become arrogant and was targeting students who were raising concerns about their rights, fair examinations, and employment opportunities.