A political war of words has erupted in Karnataka after some NEET re-test candidates in Bengaluru were denied entry into the examination centre after arriving late. While the BJP has blamed the Congress government’s mega convention for disrupting traffic, the ruling party rejected the charge as “manufactured outrage”.
On Sunday, the Congress organised a mega convention at Bengaluru’s Palace Grounds to mark BK Hariprasad taking charge as the party’s new state president.
The event, however, coincided with the NEET-UG retest, which was being conducted for lakhs of medical aspirants across the country after the original examination was cancelled following the paper leak controversy.
BJP leaders alleged that the political gathering created severe traffic congestion in the city, causing delays for students travelling to examination centres.
BJP Karnataka president BY Vijayendra Yediyurappa accused the Congress of choosing a political event despite knowing that students were appearing for one of the country’s most important entrance exams.
“Today, thousands of students were appearing for NEET. This was publicly known information, yet the Congress still went ahead with the swearing-in ceremony of KPCC President at Palace Grounds, knowing fully well the traffic chaos it would create in Bengaluru,” Vijayendra said.
He accused the Congress of using student issues for political gains while failing to show sensitivity when students actually needed support.
“Congress chose a political show of strength over their future,” he said, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s convoy was managed in a way that avoided disrupting NEET candidates when he landed in Delhi.
Vijayendra claimed that three students reportedly missed their examination due to the traffic situation and said the episode exposed what he called Congress’ “real image”.
The BJP’s Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya also targeted the state government, saying the Congress could have chosen another day for its event.
“The Congress party could have chosen any other day for its rally at Palace Grounds. Instead, it chose the very day thousands of students are appearing for NEET,” Surya said.
He alleged that traffic disruptions left students “reaching exam centres in panic” and having to plead with authorities for entry.
However, Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge rejected the BJP’s claims, accusing party leaders of spreading misinformation.
“As usual, the serial misinformation MP is doing what he does best: spreading half-truths and manufactured outrage,” Kharge said in a post on social media.
Kharge said that 720 students had been allotted the RC College examination centre, out of which 142 were absent. He said three students missed the examination, but not all cases were linked to the Congress event.
According to Kharge, one student travelling from Magadi could not find a bus on time and reached late, while another candidate arrived with an old hall ticket from the earlier examination held on May 3 and was not allowed to appear.
He added that only one student travelling from the RT Nagar side missed the exam and the exact reason was still being verified.
Kharge also said Bengaluru Traffic Police had issued advisories in advance and accused the BJP of ignoring the larger NEET controversy that had affected more than 22 lakh students.
He said that if the BJP was holding the Congress responsible for one student missing an exam due to traffic issues, then by the same logic Prime Minister Modi and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan should be held responsible for the earlier NEET paper leak controversy and the distress faced by students.
“Unfortunately for the empty trunk MP, there are no emergency exits here for him to open and escape through after making a baseless allegation,” Kharge said in a sharp attack on Surya.
– Ends
(Inputs from PTI)
