Uddhav Thackeray, Raj Thackeray Target PM Narendra Modi Over NEET Row at Mumbai Rally

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray addressed the Tiranga Vijay Rally at Shivaji Park on Sunday, July 26, 2026, launching a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The joint rally celebrated the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who stepped down on July 25, 2026, following a week-long youth-led agitation over the NEET-UG paper leak controversy.

Referring to Pradhan's resignation, Uddhav Thackeray said it showed that "a cockroach has defeated the Dictator."

Focus On Governance

Uddhav Thackeray directed his criticism at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his political strategies. "I want to tell Modiji to stop focusing on breaking political parties and instead work on governance," Uddhav Thackeray said, adding that Cabinet ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Rajnath Singh were busy defending Pradhan.

Framing the gathering as a triumph for the student movement rather than a political milestone, Uddhav Thackeray said, "This is not the celebration of winning elections. It is to prove that deshbhakts have defeated andhbhakts. The fire of this agitation has now spread across the country."

He said that the opposition was not concerned about elections and appealed to the youth to keep the movement alive. "Modiji has seen that while votes can be stolen, the people cannot be. You youngsters have written a golden chapter in the history of this country. My only request is that you do not let this awareness fade away," he said.

Gen Z Forces Bend

Raj Thackeray praised the impact of the student protests and the resulting political pressure. "Today is the day to celebrate the victory of this agitation. Gen Z has shown how to make the government bend," Raj Thackeray said.

He then highlighted the human cost of the testing irregularities, reading out the names of students who allegedly died by suicide following the NEET paper leak controversy. The gathering observed a minute's silence to honour the deceased students.