Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray have announced a joint protest march in Mumbai on July 26 to support students protesting against alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination and the reported police action during demonstrations.
The march, described by the leaders as a show of support for students and their families, will also seek the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the controversy surrounding the medical entrance examination.
Addressing a joint press conference, the Thackeray cousins extended their support to students protesting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and urged citizens to participate in the Mumbai demonstration.
Raj Thackeray said the march will begin from Shivaji Park on Sunday morning and conclude at Siddhivinayak Temple.
“Students from Mumbai are coming together to express their anger. The Centre must understand the sentiments of the people,” Raj Thackeray said while announcing the protest route.
Uddhav Thackeray said the march would end with prayers at Siddhivinayak Temple, hoping that the government would “gain wisdom” and address the concerns of protesting students.
The leaders also clarified that the protest would not carry party flags. Uddhav Thackeray said only the national flag would be visible during the march.
According to reports, leaders and workers from other Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partners may also participate in the demonstration.
The protest is expected to highlight several issues, including allegations of NEET paper leaks, demands for accountability from the central government, and claims of police action against students during earlier demonstrations.
Raj Thackeray criticised the Centre for allegedly failing to engage with protesting students and ignoring public concerns.
He compared the government's response to previous protests, including the farmers’ agitation and the Manipur violence, claiming that authorities had avoided direct communication with affected groups.
“Students work extremely hard for NEET. Their concerns need to be heard,” Raj Thackeray said.
He also claimed that he had earlier warned about problems in the examination system and said the issue had now expanded beyond the NEET controversy, becoming a question of accountability and trust in the system.
Drawing a comparison with the resignation of former Maharashtra Home Minister R.R. Patil after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Raj Thackeray said responsibility should be fixed in the NEET matter as well.
He argued that if the Prime Minister had interacted directly with protesting students earlier, the situation may not have escalated.
“The government should have spoken to students and understood their problems,” he said.
Uddhav Thackeray accused authorities of using force against young protesters and alleged that students, including women demonstrators, faced police excesses.
He said the issue was not limited to NEET alone but reflected wider concerns among students regarding competitive examinations and government accountability.
Uddhav Thackeray also claimed that he had discussed the protest with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and said Maharashtra Congress leaders were expected to participate in the march.
Raj Thackeray said the Mumbai march would remain peaceful but warned that attempts to disturb the demonstration would not be tolerated.
He reiterated that the protest represented the frustration of students and parents who have raised concerns over examination transparency.
The announcement comes amid growing protests across India over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination process. Student organisations and opposition parties have demanded investigations, reforms in examination procedures, and accountability from authorities.
The Mumbai march by Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray is expected to add political pressure on the Centre as protests over the issue continue across the country.