NEW DELHI: Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday praised young protesters who took part in demonstrations over examination paper leaks, saying their courage in confronting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “violent regime” was commendable.
Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in India’s Lok Sabha, shared a video of his meeting with students who protested in Delhi last month.
भारत के युवाओं ने मोदी जी के हिंसक शासन के सामने जिस साहस और मजबूती से खड़े होकर जवाबदेही की मांग की, वह काबिल-ए-तारीफ है।
उन्होंने शांति, मोहब्बत और हंसी-मज़ाक के साथ अपनी आवाज़ बुलंद की।
मुझे हर एक युवा पर गर्व है – खासकर उन लड़कियों पर, जिन्हें BJP के गुंडों की बदसलूकी,… pic.twitter.com/JOVCj4WCkd
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 16, 2026
The students had sought accountability over irregularities in examinations and called for the resignation of then Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The protesters faced police violence during demonstrations at Jantar Mantar on July 20.
“The courage and resilience with which India’s youngsters have stood firm against Modiji’s violent regime, demanding accountability, is commendable,” Gandhi said in a post in Hindi accompanying the video.
He said the students had raised their voices “with peace, love and humour”.
“I am proud of every single young person — especially the girls who faced the BJP goons’ misbehaviour, verbal abuse and violence, even being forced to apologise to the prime minister,” Gandhi said.
“But now their voices cannot be silenced,” he added.
Students allege police brutality
Gandhi said he had heard accounts from students who alleged police “brutality” and “harassment” after they protested.
The interaction took place earlier this month. Gandhi had also held a press conference with students on August 5.
Five students appeared with him before the media, including model Rhiya Ahir, whose photograph blocking a police van during student protests in Mumbai went viral. Ahir has since approached police alleging online harassment.
The protests were linked to allegations of paper leaks and wider concerns over India’s education and recruitment examination systems.
The student movement began with allegations surrounding the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test, or NEET, a highly competitive examination for admission to medical colleges. It later expanded into broader demands for reforms to the examination system.
Opposition leader accuses government of failing youth
Gandhi’s comments came a day after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the Modi government of crushing young people’s aspirations and pushing them towards a “dead end”.
Speaking at the Congress headquarters, Kharge said the government was failing to address concerns among young people while taking credit for achievements of previous administrations.
In a democracy, is it right for the Prime Minister not to answer our questions in Parliament?
I, along with the Leader of Opposition Shri @RahulGandhi, have been repeatedly raising questions about the brutality inflicted on students and young people. Yet, the Prime Minister and…
— Assam Congress (@INCAssam) August 15, 2026
He also accused the government of avoiding accountability in Parliament.
“We want an India where the voice of the poor is heard, where farmers move forward with dignity, where young people can fulfil their dreams and where no one has to be afraid to speak the truth to those in power,” Kharge said.
His remarks came as student protests and concerns over education and government recruitment remain contentious issues in India.
Ramdev warns protests could escalate
Yoga guru Ramdev also warned the Modi government on Saturday that protests over irregularities in education and recruitment examinations could intensify.
Speaking to reporters at Patanjali Yogpeeth during Independence Day celebrations, Ramdev said the government needed to address what he described as a “ghapla”, or scam, or face further agitation.
Yoga guru Swami Ramdev has raised concerns over student protests and alleged irregularities in India’s education and government recruitment systems.
Speaking at Independence Day celebrations at Patanjali Yogpeeth, he said protests indicate serious gaps in education and… pic.twitter.com/T91iIdeka1
— The Siasat Daily (@TheSiasatDaily) August 15, 2026
He said students were protesting over a lack of basic facilities in schools and colleges, including shortages of teachers and inadequate electricity, water and toilet facilities.
Ramdev also alleged corruption and the influence of money in recruitment for government jobs.
“There is chaos everywhere in the country,” he said, citing complaints about missing teachers, inadequate facilities, alleged cheating and examination paper leaks.
He further alleged corruption in government recruitment interviews and claimed that selections were being influenced by caste and religion.
Ramdev alleged that some candidates had been asked to pay as much as 1 crore rupees in bribes for government jobs.
“If everyone starts protesting, then how will the country run? Hence, mend your ways; otherwise, agitation would escalate further,” he said.
Ramdev also said he could join the protests himself if the authorities failed to address the grievances.
India’s youth protest movement
The student movement has also used the satirical name Cockroach Janata Party (CJP).
It emerged on social media following allegations over a leaked question paper for the NEET examination. The movement subsequently expanded its demands to include wider reforms to India’s examination system.
Education Minister Pradhan stepped down after weeks of protests calling for his removal.
The government also promised to withdraw police cases against peaceful protesters, compensate families affected by the NEET controversy and continue talks on a five-point charter put forward by the movement.
But student leaders, lawyers and activists say the dispute has since moved from the streets to police stations, courts and social media.
Indian lawyer and politician Kapil Sibal told German broadcaster DW that government actions after the protests were called off had raised fresh questions about whether official assurances were being implemented.
“The way Dharmendra Pradhan was celebrated after his resignation shows the government has learned nothing from the protests or the message the students were trying to convey,” Sibal told DW.
The agreement that ended the protests appeared to provide for the withdrawal of protest-related police cases and the release of detained students in Delhi, Bihar, Assam, Maharashtra and West Bengal.
Protesters face continued pressure
Student protesters have alleged that police action continued despite the end of large-scale demonstrations.
They said officers had visited homes, questioned people using photographs and CCTV footage, continued investigations and monitored social media activity.
A senior Delhi Police official rejected allegations of intimidation. The official said police were following up on registered cases and investigating alleged offences using CCTV footage, photographs and other digital evidence.
Among those who have approached the courts is Mohammad Junaid Malik, a law student who ran a free community kitchen for protesters at Jantar Mantar for 35 days.
Malik has petitioned the Supreme Court, alleging illegal detention, interrogation and harassment of his family after the protests ended.
In Uttar Pradesh, a young protester told DW anonymously that he was detained after police identified him from a photograph taken during a solidarity demonstration.
In Bihar, student organisations said several protesters, including minors, were detained before the state began withdrawing protest-related cases.
Student leaders say the reported incidents have left protesters uncertain about whether government assurances are being implemented on the ground.
