Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy has accused the Congress of attempting to “undermine” the country’s institutions by provoking students and disturbing law and order.Addressing a media conference in New Delhi on Thursday, Mr. Reddy alleged that various “anti-national groups” and “Tukde Tukde” elements had joined the protest at Jantar Mantar with the intention of weakening India’s democratic institutions.“While the government is working tirelessly to strengthen the nation’s economy, attract investments and enhance India’s global standing, the Opposition is engaged in irresponsible politics,” he said.He said the Congress must first explain how many examination paper leaks took place during its tenure and how many Ministers resigned at the time. According to him, the Opposition is more interested in politics and power than in protecting students’ future or safeguarding national interests.Describing incidents reported from different parts of the country over the past two days as “unfortunate”, the Minister claimed they were “politically motivated”. He alleged that anti-national elements were using students as a shield to create unrest, similar to what was witnessed during the Shaheen Bagh protests. “Anti-social and anti-national elements are infiltrating protests and even attacking the police. Society must recognise these attempts to create instability,” he said. Published - July 23, 2026 08:55 pm IST