Centre Attempting to Suppress Students’ Voices Through Lathi Charge: Manjunath Bhandary
Udupi: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Working President and Member of the Karnataka Legislative Council, Manjunath Bhandary, has accused the Central government of attempting to suppress the voices of students instead of seriously addressing the alleged irregularities in the NEET examination.
Addressing a press conference at the District Congress Office in Brahmagiri, Udupi, Bhandary said the Prime Minister and the Union Education Minister had failed to respond to concerns raised by students. He alleged that hundreds of students are facing uncertainty over their future and that the government has shown no willingness to hold discussions on the issue. He also criticised the government’s response to the protest led by social activist Sonam Wangchuk.
Bhandary alleged that students marching towards Parliament were subjected to a lathi charge and police excesses. He said the attempt to portray students as anti-national was against democratic values and accused the BJP-led Central government of trying to suppress the voice of citizens in a democracy. He added that the BJP was now facing the consequences of its earlier attempts to mobilise students against the Congress government.
Referring to repeated question paper leak incidents, Bhandary alleged that several recruitment and competitive examinations had witnessed paper leaks over the past 12 years. He demanded that the government disclose the number of people prosecuted in connection with these cases and insisted that Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan take moral responsibility and resign.
Expressing complete support for the ongoing student protests, Bhandary said the Union Home Minister should also resign, taking moral responsibility for the alleged lathi charge on students. He reiterated his demand that both Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Union Home Minister Amit Shah step down on moral grounds.
Commenting on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, Bhandary said the Congress party fully supports the exercise but would not allow any conspiracy or irregularities in Karnataka similar to those it alleges occurred in West Bengal.
He said that no eligible citizen should be deprived of the right to vote and urged Congress workers to coordinate with Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to assist the public wherever difficulties arise.
Bhandary stressed that ensuring the inclusion of every eligible voter in the electoral roll is of utmost importance. He also called upon party workers and the public to remain vigilant against any irregularities during the revision process and report them to the authorities whenever necessary. Safeguarding every eligible citizen’s voting rights, he said, is a collective responsibility.
Taking a swipe at the BJP over the Ayodhya Ram Temple issue, Bhandary alleged that those who came to power in the name of Lord Ram had now “laid hands on the offerings made by devotees.” He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi must accept moral responsibility for the issue.
He further alleged that the BJP used the Ayodhya Ram Temple as a political tool to reshape the country’s political landscape, and noted that Prime Minister Modi himself had performed the consecration ceremony of the temple.
Claiming that the alleged misuse of donation funds had hurt the religious sentiments of millions of devotees, Bhandary demanded that the Central government take moral responsibility for the controversy.
