NEET re-test: BJP lashes out at Congress for Bengaluru rally delaying students; compares it to PM Modi’s Delhi Airport gesture

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday delayed his exit from the Delhi Airport by about 45 minutes, in connection with the NEET-UG re-test taking place across the country for more than 22 lakh students.

The PM, who arrived at the Delhi Airport at 1:15 PM today, decided to stay back until 2 PM, which is when the NEET re-exam was scheduled to begin, in the interest of students reaching their exam centres on time, as per an ANI report, citing sources.

PM Modi's emphasis was on smooth traffic movement because prime ministerial convoys are typically long, and could block traffic, which would have impacted students trying to reach their exam centres on time, as the National Testing Agency (NTA) has imposed strict deadlines on gate closing times across the country.

The BJP was also quick to use this to criticise the Congress, which had staged a political rally in Bengaluru's Malleshwaram that caused traffic jams.

"Why does Congress always (choose) politics over people's interest!" questioned BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari in an X post.

This traffic allegedly led to four students missing the strict 1:30 PM entry deadline.

According to eyewitnesses, three girls who had arrived at 1:32 PM even climbed over the railing after they found the main gate locked.

However, they were in for a nasty surprise when they were still unable to enter the venue, as the inner gate had also been closed.

Their parents blamed both the traffic congestion and the inadequate traffic management, saying that they "left on time, but got stuck".

"Our children's future is at stake," another parent lamented, as a video of three delayed students crying outside their exam venue also went viral, sparking mixed reactions from netizens.