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Congress MP Selja says Crackdown on Crotesting Students Reflects Government’s intolerance towards Democratic dissent; Opposition Stages Coordinated Protest in Parliament

Chandigarh | Pen of Democracy News Desk

Congress MP from Sirsa and former Union Minister Kumari Selja launched a sharp attack on the Central Government over the police action against students protesting alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, saying the incident reflected a growing pattern of suppressing democratic dissent instead of engaging in meaningful dialogue.

Selja, who also serves as the Congress National General Secretary and a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), said the Opposition’s coordinated protest inside the Parliament complex demonstrated solidarity with students and underscored the need to protect democratic values. Opposition MPs, she noted, wore black attire during the protest to register their opposition to what they described as the government’s handling of student demonstrations and examination-related controversies.

Addressing the issue, Selja alleged that the police action against students in Delhi was not merely an attempt to disperse a protest but an attack on the aspirations of young people seeking justice.

She said students who had gathered to raise concerns over repeated paper leaks and alleged failures in the examination system were exercising their democratic rights. Instead of addressing their grievances, she claimed, the government responded with barricades, police deployment and the use of force.

“The voices of students cannot be silenced through intimidation or force. Young people demanding a fair examination system deserve answers, not police action,” Selja said.

She demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi apologise to the nation for the police action and urged Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to resign, taking what she described as moral responsibility for repeated examination-related controversies.

The Congress leader said Parliament is the highest democratic institution where the concerns of citizens should be debated openly. However, she alleged that the government has repeatedly avoided discussions on issues such as unemployment, rising inflation, farmers’ concerns and alleged irregularities in recruitment and examinations.

According to Selja, when the Opposition seeks discussions on matters affecting the public, meaningful debate is often avoided, forcing political parties to raise these issues both inside and outside Parliament.

She argued that healthy democracies thrive on dialogue, accountability and respect for dissent rather than confrontation.

Referring to recent developments in Parliament, Selja said Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge have consistently attempted to raise issues concerning students, farmers and ordinary citizens. 

She also criticised the reported detention of Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and several Opposition MPs during protests, calling the action inconsistent with democratic traditions.

She said the united protest by Opposition parties inside the Parliament complex symbolised their determination to continue raising public concerns despite political differences. “A democracy becomes stronger when differing opinions are heard, not when they are suppressed,” she said.

Selja also criticised the government’s handling of farmers’ issues, alleging that the administration had relied on confrontation instead of dialogue during the prolonged farmers’ agitation.

She claimed that commitments regarding the legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) remain unfulfilled, leading to growing dissatisfaction among farmers and weakening public trust in the government’s assurances.

The Congress MP further outlined her party’s demands regarding the examination system. She called for an immediate discussion in Parliament on paper leak incidents and alleged failures in the examination process. She also demanded a transparent, secure and technology-driven examination system insulated from political interference.

In addition, Selja said students affected by examination irregularities should be guaranteed timely re-examinations, appropriate compensation for losses suffered due to cancellations or delays, and legal safeguards to protect their academic rights. She argued that restoring confidence in the examination system is essential for protecting the future of millions of young aspirants.

Concluding her remarks, Selja said the strength of Indian democracy lies in open dialogue, constitutional accountability and respect for citizens’ voices.

She warned that attempts to suppress protests through force rather than engagement could weaken democratic institutions.

She asserted that the Congress Party would continue raising the concerns of students, farmers and ordinary citizens both inside Parliament and through peaceful democratic movements across the country.

POD/DESK