Bhubaneswar (PTI): Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera on Thursday criticised the BJP-led Centre over the NEET-UG question paper leak, alleging that the government had failed to demonstrate accountability to students and the public.
Khera made the remarks while addressing the media on the launch of the party's nationwide campaign, 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' (students' echo), aimed at highlighting issues faced by students, including question paper leaks.
Alleging that around 90 paper leak incidents had surfaced across the country over the past 10 years, Khera said no major kingpin, political patron or organised network had been exposed.
"Only small brokers and pawns have been arrested, while the real masterminds and their political patrons continue to escape accountability," he alleged.
The Congress leader also targeted Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
"When asked about the NEET question paper leak, the minister points fingers at the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the NTA points to the CBI, which has remained a 'B-team' of the BJP. Even the prime minister has remained totally silent on the issue," Khera alleged.
He further claimed that had the government focused on strengthening the examination system, students would not have faced such difficulties.
"They deliberately want to spoil the future of the next generation so that newcomers can fit into their agenda," he alleged.
Khera said the Centre should stop "playing with the future of students" and take moral responsibility for the incident.
"The education minister and the NTA cannot escape responsibility for this crisis. When trust in a national examination collapses, accountability must also be fixed at the national level," he said, demanding Pradhan's resignation on moral grounds.
He also sought a fair and independent probe into the matter and called for a complete overhaul of the examination system.
The AICC leader said greater transparency was needed in the conduct of national-level examinations.
"Instead of providing tips to children in the name of the 'Pariksha Pe Charcha' programme, if the prime minister had taught Pradhan how to organise examinations, students would not have suffered today," Khera said.
The Congress has launched the 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' campaign across 28 major cities, engaging students, job aspirants, coaching hubs, college campuses, libraries, and youth groups across the country.
Reacting to Khera's remarks, state BJP spokesperson Anil Biswal said the Congress has completely forgotten its responsibility.
"Today, when the whole country is observing 'Constitution Murder Day', the Congress and its leaders are indulging in a new drama to divert public attention," he asserted.
The NEET re-examination was conducted smoothly on June 21, and more than 22 lakh students appeared for the test due to a team approach by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pradhan, Biswal said.
The BJP leader added that the Union government has taken several steps to ensure there are no such errors in the future.
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This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.
