Demands Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday intensified his attack on the Centre over the alleged NEET paper leak controversy, accusing the Narendra Modi government of failing the country’s youth and allowing “paper leak mafia” networks to flourish while remaining silent on the future of millions of students.
In a strongly worded post on social media platform X, Gandhi said the government was more concerned with “saving itself” than addressing the concerns of students and their families amid widespread outrage over alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).
“When lakhs of young people are on the streets, when the future of 22 lakh children is at stake, and the Prime Minister remains silent, the government is focused not on answering questions, but on saving itself,” Gandhi wrote.
Gandhi, who is also the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, further asserted that the Congress would continue its agitation until Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns and a “foolproof system” is established to prevent future examination leaks.
“Until Dharmendra Pradhan resigns and a foolproof system is put in place to prevent paper leaks like NEET, we will not stop,” he said.
In another post on X, Gandhi alleged that the NEET controversy had “pushed the future of millions of students into darkness” and accused the Modi government of enabling organised cheating rackets.
“Under the Modi government, the paper leak mafia is thriving while those responsible sit back and watch the spectacle,” he said.
Highlighting protests by the Congress student wing, the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), Gandhi said party workers led by NSUI president Vinod Jakhar had taken out a padyatra in Hyderabad to protest against the government’s handling of the issue.
“In Hyderabad, NSUI workers led by president Vinod Jakhar took out a padyatra and sent a strong message to the anti-youth Modi government,” Gandhi said, adding that the party would not tolerate injustice against students.
“We will not tolerate this injustice with the future of students under any circumstances. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan must resign immediately and strict action should be taken against the culprits,” he added.
The NEET examination controversy has emerged as a major political flashpoint, with opposition parties alleging large-scale irregularities and demanding accountability from the Centre. The issue has triggered protests by students and political organisations across several states, with concerns being raised over the integrity of one of India’s largest medical entrance examinations.