NEET protests: Police lathicharge NSUI activists in Kota; ABVP seeks re-test

The Rajasthan Police on Friday, 14 June, resorted to lathicharge to disperse the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) activists, who while protesting against the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024 exam, tried to enter inside the collectorate in Kota.

Earlier, around 300 NSUI activists gathered outside the Circuit House in Kota and from there, they took out a foot march to the collectorate.

Police had put up barricades outside the collectorate and stopped the protesting NSUI activists from moving forward. Some workers reportedly climbed on the barricades, demanding to go inside. Meanwhile, there was also a scuffle between the police and the protestors after which, the police resorted to lathicharge and drove them away.

Rajasthan NSUI president Vinod Jakhar said that the dreams of lakhs of children to become doctors are being shattered. "The false arguments of the government will not work. The NEET paper was leaked. It should be cancelled and a re-examination should be conducted.

District chief of the Congress' student wing, Vishal Mewada said that the students had come to protest peacefully. Our demand was to meet the collector and submit a memorandum. The police stopped us from going inside. When some activists tried, police resorted to lathicharge, he said.

In Ajmer, ABVP activists demanded the cancellation of the NEET UG exam and a CBI inquiry into the alleged irregularities.

Students led by the ABVP took out a rally and reached the Collectorate demanding the cancellation of the pre-medical entrance test and a CBI investigation.

Student leader Asuram Dukia said, "The paper came into the market half an hour before the exam. The whole group was caught in Bihar, which bought papers for Rs 60 crore. Even after this, the result has been released without considering the paper as leaked, playing with the future of 24 lakh children."

The ABVP handed over a memorandum to the district collector, demanding re-examination and a CBI investigation.