New Delhi

Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid on Tuesday strongly criticised Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for his comments against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi amid the ongoing debate surrounding NEET and CBSE-related issues.

Responding to Pradhan's remarks, Khurshid questioned whether the minister had fully understood Rahul Gandhi's concerns regarding the examination system. In a sharp retort, he suggested that Pradhan should attempt the NEET examination himself before commenting on the matter.

The exchange follows Pradhan's criticism of Rahul Gandhi, in which he accused the Congress leader of creating anxiety among students and attempting to disrupt preparations ahead of the examination. The minister also described Gandhi's approach as irresponsible and alleged that the Congress party was trying to undermine the examination process.

According to Pradhan, Rahul Gandhi's recent interaction with students in Kota ahead of the exam had the potential to create fear and uncertainty among aspirants. He maintained that while the opposition has every right to question the government, such interventions should not adversely affect students preparing for crucial examinations.

Khurshid also reacted to remarks made by Madhya Pradesh minister Kailash Vijayvargiya regarding the term "Kafir." Questioning Vijayvargiya's statement, the Congress leader argued that the term traditionally refers to a person who does not believe in God and challenged the logic behind the minister's comments.

The controversy stems from a speech delivered by Vijayvargiya in Indore, where he referred to instances of some Muslims allegedly calling Hindus "Kafirs" and linked the issue to government welfare schemes and public infrastructure projects.

Separately, Khurshid also commented on allegations related to the misuse of donations connected to the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Without naming specific individuals, he remarked that while faith is centred on God, some people appear to place greater importance on money and donations.

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The remarks add to the ongoing political sparring between the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress over education policy, religious rhetoric and issues of public accountability.