From Karnataka to Kerala, CMs condemn crackdown on NEET protesters

Follow TNM's WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links.Condemnation of the Delhi Police’s action against students protesting over the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak and subsequent detention of Opposition leaders gathered momentum on Tuesday, July 21, with Chief Ministers and political parties from Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu accusing the Union government of suppressing democratic dissent.Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar criticised the detention of Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra during a protest near Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence, saying the agitation would continue until justice was secured for students.Shivakumar said, “It is unfortunate that Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were detained. We are fighting for the cause of students. We demand justice and a parliamentary discussion on this issue. With more than 100 MPs present, no one is intimidated by arrest, and this movement will persevere until justice prevails.” #WATCH | Delhi | Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar says, "It is unfortunate that Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi (were detained). We are all fighting for the cause of the students of this country. We want justice. We want this to be discussed in the Parliament... More than 100 MPs are… pic.twitter.com/eVvNYJvHjw— ANI (@ANI) July 21, 2026 The protest, organised by the Congress a day after the police action against students marching towards Parliament, demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged examination irregularities.Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also condemned the police action against students who had marched towards Parliament on Monday.Siddaramaiah said, “The aspirations of our youth are being lathi-charged while those responsible for destroying their future continue to enjoy protection. I strongly condemn the brutal use of lathis and tear gas against more than 20,000 peaceful protestors marching towards Parliament to seek justice for the victims of the NEET scandal.”He added that the nationwide outrage over the alleged NEET paper leak, the fast undertaken by Sonam Wangchuk and protests by students and civil society reflected growing public concern over the government's handling of issues affecting young people.“For countless students, NEET was not just an examination; it was years of sacrifice, sleepless nights, financial hardship, and the dreams of entire families. Every irregularity, every act of negligence, and every delay in accountability shatters not merely careers but faith in the institutions of our Republic,” he said, while calling on Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to “accept moral responsibility and resign.”Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan also joined the criticism, describing the developments in Delhi as “extraordinary” and expressing solidarity with protesting students.Satheesan said: “These are extraordinary developments taking place in the country. The youth and students, who are the hopes of the nation, have been brutally attacked in the national capital.” “The approach of suppressing protests and dissent has no place in a democracy,” he added. In Tamil Nadu, the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) condemned Rahul Gandhi’s detention, calling it “a blatant attack on democratic rights” and renewing its demand for the abolition of NEET. The party alleged that repeated paper leaks had undermined the credibility of the examination and caused severe mental stress to students. தலைநகரில் ஜனநாயகம் நசுக்கப்படுவது வன்மையாகக் கண்டிக்கத்தக்கது!டெல்லியில் நடைபெற்ற இளைஞர்களின் அறவழிப் போராட்டத்துக்கு ஆதரவாகக் களமிறங்கிய மக்களவை எதிர்க்கட்சித் தலைவர் திரு. ராகுல் காந்தி அவர்கள் டெல்லி காவல்துறையால் இழுத்துச்செல்லப்பட்டும் குண்டுக்கட்டாகத் தூக்கிச் சென்றும்…— TVK Party HQ (@TVKPartyHQ) July 21, 2026 Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy also strongly condemned the detention of the Congress leaders, saying that the detention was “an assault on the democratic right to protest.”“You can throw us in jail, you can try to suppress us, but you cannot suppress the anger of millions of young Indians fighting for justice and accountability,” he said. I strongly condemn the detention of Shri @RahulGandhi ji, Smt @priyankagandhi ji and other Congress leaders. This is an assault on the democratic right to protest. The entire @INCIndia family, and country is firmly with our youth who are demanding accountability from the… pic.twitter.com/OUlFNPcCyh— Revanth Reddy (@revanth_anumula) July 21, 2026 The opposition protests followed Monday’s march towards Parliament by students and activists demanding accountability over alleged irregularities in NEET-UG 2026 and other competitive examinations. Police used tear gas and lathi-charge after protesters attempted to breach barricades amid prohibitory orders in central Delhi, while both the protesters and police blamed each other for the ensuing violence.The nationwide agitation is led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and supported by student organisations over alleged irregularities in NEET-UG 2026 and other competitive examinations. The movement, which began on June 20, has been demanding a transparent investigation into the alleged paper leak, reforms in the public examination system, and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk is a prominent face of the campaign, undertaking an indefinite fast at Delhi's Jantar Mantar in support of students and calling for accountability and systemic reforms. After he was forcibly moved to the hospital, fresh protests erupted.