New Delhi, July 21 (IANS) Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday hit out at the Centre over ‘brutal’ crackdown on students protesting at the Jantar Mantar against NEET paper leaks and demanded an 'unconditional' apology from the government. Speaking to newsmen outside the Parliament, the Congress MP said that the students are raising their voice against the ‘broken’ education system and using force to quell their stir was beyond all reasoning.

Taking a direct shot at the government as well as the Prime Minister, he demanded that the latter apologise for ordering a lathi charge on the agitating students and advised it to rather take an honest review of the education system. “People are being beaten and thrashed; this is completely unacceptable. Why is the Prime Minister silent? He should speak up. He should apologise and stop this nonsense (police thrashing students for raising their voice),” Rahul said, while flanked by party MPs including Priyanka Gandhi.

He said that the country’s youth are protesting against the ‘creaking’ education and testing system and the whole nation knows that it has been “hollowed out by termites” and broken beyond repair. He said that the Congress party has been vocal about ‘fixing’ the education system, having raised the matter on multiple platforms, but the government didn't pay heed to their demands. The Congress leader was also unsparing in his criticism of the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla as he accused the latter of being “partisan” in matters of public debate.

He also met Speaker Om Birla earlier in the day, putting forth a demand for discussion on police action against the students. Post his meeting, he took to his X handle and wrote, "Our demand is simple: Parliament must have a detailed discussion on the brutality unleashed on students yesterday and on the government's complete lack of accountability for the examination crisis." With Congress escalating its protest over police crackdown on 'peaceful' protest by the students, the Parliament, facing repeated disruptions over paper leaks, donation row and other issues, seems headed for another washout for the second consecutive day.

--IANS