Party workers led by Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai took out a candlelight march in the state capital on Friday in protest against question paper leaks and the alleged beating up of youth during the ongoing agitation in Delhi.

Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai and others during the candlelight march in Lucknow on Friday. (SOURCED IMAGE)

“Question papers for 152 major examinations have been leaked under Narendra Modi and tragically, 22 students have lost their lives due to the NEET paper leak. There is immense anger among the youth and students across the country, yet instead of removing Dharmendra Pradhan—who bears responsibility for this systematically orchestrated paper leak—the Prime Minister is shielding him,” Ajay Rai said.

“Although a heavy police force attempted to forcibly stop us using barricades, the Congress members managed to move out from the Mall Avenue headquarters, pass through Loreto Crossing, and reach Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg,” said CP Rai, spokesperson for UP Congress.

The march concluded with garlanding of the statue of the late Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna awardee, at the Mall Avenue crossing.

Thousands of students and youths are staging protests in Delhi, risking their lives for their demands; however, instead of acceding to these demands, the Modi government is resorting to repressive measures—actions that the Congress party will not tolerate, the party said.

The Congress stands firmly with the demands of the students and youth, it added.