Cruelty, insensitivity now BJP's DNA: Cong on K'taka BJP MLA's 'dead body takes more space' remark
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Friday hit out at the BJP over the "dead body takes more space" remark by its Karnataka MLA Arvind Bellad, saying cruelty is now the saffron party's DNA, and accused the Centre of garnering publicity for evacuating Indian students from war-torn Ukraine.
On March 1, a young Indian medical student, Naveen SG of Karnataka, was killed in shelling in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv when he ventured out to buy food for himself and fellow students.
"Drunk with arrogance, power has gone into the head of heartless BJP leaders, particularly from Karnataka. (Union minister) Prahlad Joshi calls children in Ukraine as those 'who failed NEET'. Arvind Bellad has lost his balance. Insensitivity and cruelty are now BJP's DNA," Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted.
He also said that "one thing is clear... in the Ukraine-Russian war, there is no plan to rescue the thousands of children who have been fighting for their life for the last nine days amid heavy bombing and missile attacks".
"Is all the focus from Ukraine to Uttar Pradesh (where assembly polls are being held) only on managing PR and saving image," Surejwala asked in another tweet in Hindi.
The Congress leader also shared a video of Union Minister Gen (retd) V K Singh and said that "ministers of the Modi government are telling children trapped for nine days in bombs/missile attacks why they did not come out earlier when an ultimatum was issued, come after travelling a long journey and when you come out of all the danger, we will then receive you...".
"Is he a minister of the country or a travel agent?" Surjewala asked.
Bellad, who represents Hubli-Dharwad in the Karnataka assembly, stirred up a controversy with his comment that "a dead body takes up more space in a flight", forcing the Congress to attack the BJP. He has also said that instead of a coffin, nearly eight to 10 people can be accommodated on a plane.
Senior Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari also shared a video of students stuck in Ukraine.
"Dear PM (prime minister), listen to these children. Please speak to President (Vladimir) Putin and establish an evacuation route across the Russian frontlines. They are in clear and present danger and while Ukrainians are not holding them hostage they are clearly discriminating against Indians," he tweeted.
The Congress has been demanding safe and early evacuation of all Indian students from war-struck Ukraine and have attacked the BJP government for not taking steps earlier to ensure earlier evacuation of Indians.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
NEET student hangs self in Rajasthan's Sikar
Jaipur (PTI): A student preparing for the NEET examination allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a rented room in Rajasthan's Sikar on Friday, police said.
According to the police, the student allegedly hanged himself from a ceiling fan using his sister's scarf while one sister was attending coaching classes and the other was in the bathroom.
He had appeared in the NEET UG exam 2026, which was cancelled due to paper leak, they said.
Udyog Nagar SHO Rajesh Kumar said that the deceased, identified as Pradeep Meghwal, was a resident of Kanika ki Dhani village in Jhunjhunu's Gudha Gaudji area.
He had been living in a rented room in Sikar's Jaldhari Nagar area with his two sisters while preparing for NEET over the last three years.
His elder sister later found him hanging and informed the landlord and police after bringing him down, officials said.
The SHO said the body was kept at SK Hospital mortuary, and a postmortem had not been conducted.
The student's father, Rajesh Kumar Meghwal, told police that Pradeep's NEET examination had gone well and the family was expecting him to score around 650 marks.
Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot expressed grief over the incident and linked it to anxiety among students after reports of irregularities and paper leaks in NEET 2026.
Pilot said repeated paper leak incidents and cancellation of examinations were affecting students' mental health and demanded a time-bound investigation and strict action against those responsible.
