Abhishek Banerjee says student protests made Delhi elites bow to youth power
Trinamool MP Abhishek Banerjee accused the BJP-led centre of being forced to submit to youth after recent student protests, and praised his party’s welfare record.
During a foundation-day event for the TMC Chhatra Parishad in Kolkata, Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led NDA government. He asserted that a recent student-led agitation, sparked by allegations of a NEET-UG 2026 paper leak and demanding the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, forced “Delhi zamindars” to bow before the power of youth. Banerjee warned that any politician who had switched parties would not be permitted to return to the Trinamool ranks.
He highlighted the Mamata Banerjee administration’s Lakshmir Bhandar programme, which he said benefits 2.5 crore women in West Bengal, contrasting it with the central Annapurna Yojana that purportedly assists 1.5 crore women. The remarks framed the student protests as a political lever against the centre and underscored competition over welfare schemes. (With agency inputs)
Why it matters
The comments illustrate how student activism is being politicized and reflect rivalry over welfare policies between state and central governments.
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