The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) demanded that the Prime Minister make Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resign, withdraw all the cases foisted by the police against the youth and students protesting in New Delhi and tender an unconditional apology on the excesses committed against the protesters seeking action in the NEET question paper leakage issue.

Speaking at a protest organised by the BRS student wing, BRS Vidyarthi, at Indira Park here on Friday to express solidarity with students protesting in Delhi on the NEET question paper leakage issue, working president of BRS K.T. Rama Rao said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was playing with fire by trying to suppress the voice of Gen Z. He condemned the attempts to brand the protesters as terrorists, anti-nationals and anti-social elements.

Had the Centre been sincere, it would have already held dialogue with the protesters several times to resolve the issue instead of resorting to oppression and intimidation. There was no leader or the party behind the protesting youth and students, the BRS leader said, adding that voluntary support in the form of various means was an indication of the growing unrest among the youth against the Union Government.

Stating that the country was witnessing a dangerous trend in which those demanding accountability were being targeted instead of those responsible for the failures, Mr. Rama Rao said the voice of India’s youth could not be silenced through force or intimidation and asserted that every attempt to suppress democratic dissent would only strengthen such a movement.

Turning to the State government, he said Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy was helping divert public attention from the Centre’s failures and alleged that instead of leading a united fight against the Centre on an issue affecting students across the country, Mr. Reddy had chosen to target the BRS for political gains.

He accused Mr. Revanth Reddy of displaying double standards by avoiding any confrontation with the BJP while attempting to divert attention through attacks on the opposition.

Published - July 24, 2026 06:57 pm IST