Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Jul 21: Leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Tuesday rallied behind Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the government's handling of the NEET-UG paper leak controversy, asserting that the Centre remains committed to protecting the interests of the country's youth even as the Opposition continued to criticise its response.
Speaking during the NDA's 'Mangal Milan' programme, Prime Minister Modi said the issue of examination paper leaks was not confined to any one state or the Central government but was a matter of national concern requiring collective action.
The Prime Minister said the government had acted swiftly in the NEET-UG case, leading to the arrest of 13 individuals allegedly linked to the paper leak. He stressed that preventing such incidents was a shared responsibility of both the Centre and state governments.
Supporting the Prime Minister's remarks, Union Minister and Republican Party of India (A) chief Ramdas Athawale said the paper leak had caused hardship to lakhs of students and that those responsible must face stringent punishment.
Athawale said both the Union and state governments must work together to ensure that examination irregularities are prevented in the future, adding that the government stands firmly with India's "Yuva Shakti" and remains committed to safeguarding students' interests.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Praful Patel also endorsed the Prime Minister's views, saying India's youth have made remarkable contributions across sectors ranging from space exploration to innovation, and that ensuring a secure future for them should remain a national priority.
Patel said the government was determined to ensure that incidents such as the NEET paper leak are not repeated and reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the examination system.
BJP MP Ravi Kishan said the Prime Minister had called for the country's best legal experts to pursue strong action against those involved in examination fraud so that strict punishment serves as a deterrent against similar crimes in the future.
However, the government's stand continued to draw criticism from the Opposition. AIMIM president and Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi questioned what relief would be provided to students who had been adversely affected by the controversy, including those who lost valuable academic time or were unable to secure the same rank after reappearing for the examination.
The political exchanges come a day after students, led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), attempted to march towards Parliament demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged May 3 NEET-UG paper leak, triggering fresh debate over the government's handling of the examination scandal.