Opposition using student anger as political tool, says Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday expressed concern over the ongoing student protests in Delhi and accused opposition parties of using them for political gain. He urged the opposition to raise issues in Parliament rather than on the streets.

The protests, led by a student organisation at Jantar Mantar, entered their second month, with supporters demanding action over the NEET paper leak. Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, held a demonstration outside Parliament on Wednesday in solidarity with the students.

In a post on X, Singh said it was unfortunate that some were trying to use students as a political tool. He insisted the government is committed to addressing student concerns and that Parliament is the appropriate forum for debate.

Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, were detained on Tuesday after a protest at the Prime Minister's residence demanding his resignation over police action against students. Singh accused the opposition of manufacturing anger and disrupting parliamentary proceedings.

He reaffirmed that the government is open to debate in Parliament and called on the opposition to allow the Monsoon session to function smoothly.