The Congress on Friday launched a day-long nationwide protest against the Centre’s decision to conduct the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test  (NEET) and the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) main exams amid the COVID-19 pandemic and flood situation in some states, and demanded the deferment of the same. 

Former Congress president and MP Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter and posted, "NEET-JEE aspirants’ safety should not be compromised due to the failures of the government. Government must listen to all stakeholders and arrive at a consensus."

Along with the tweet, Gandhi also tagged a video urging the government to listen to students. "You are the students and you are going to take this country to new heights. Everybody understands what has happened over the last three or four months," Gandhi said in the video.

"Everybody understands the mishandling of COVID-19, the devastation that has been caused, the economic destruction, the pain that this country has had to bear. Now what I don't understand is why you should be held responsible and why further pain should be imposed on you," Gandhi said, addressing students.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also took to Twitter and wrote, "The govt cannot ignore the voices of the students appearing for NEET, JEE exams and those of their concerned parents. They are the future of our country. With the rising scale of the pandemic, is it fair to expose them to infection in this manner? At least some things should be beyond politics."

Meanwhile, hundreds of workers from the Delhi Congress staged a protest out of the Ministry of Education. However, the Delhi Police detained them and took them to the Mandir Marg police station. 

NSUI workers have also been protesting outside Shastri Bhawan for the past three days demanding the postponement of the exams.

Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal visited the NSUI workers in solidarity. "Visited NSUI protest at Shasthri Bhavan to show my solidarity. The BJP government must listen to the voice of students who are concerned about safety and transportation during Covid-19. The government must listen to them before making a decision on JEE and NEET exams," Venugopal tweeted.

Congress leader and former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot said, "If we keep raising the matter, Centre will have to consider the demands of people and postpone JEE-NEET examinations."

(With agency inputs)