Congress leader Jairam Ramesh criticized PM Modi’s video message on the paper leak and said that breaking the silence after two months will do nothing. He alleged that the government has continuously ignored the interests of the students, due to which they have lost faith in the government.
Jairam Ramesh’s attack on PM Modi
New Delhi [भारत]July 24 (ANI): Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he broke his ‘two-month-long’ silence on the exam paper leak through video message and alleged that the central government has consistently ignored the interests of students. He stressed that students no longer have any faith in the ruling government.
Ramesh, in a post on X, criticized the Center over its handling of past exam controversies and its changing approach to testing. “Looking dejected and distressed, the Prime Minister finally broke his two-month long silence on the paper leak through a video message late last night,” he wrote.
Government accused of neglect
Taking aim at the timing of recent official statements over exam irregularities, the Congress leader commented, “Remember that the Modi government has been denying for a long time that the NEET-UG 2026 exam was leaked. Minister Pradhan deliberately refused to use the word leaked in his press conference and the Education Ministry officially denied the paper was leaked before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education. It is only the simmering public anger in the last two months that has forced the Prime Minister to tell the truth. Forced to accept.”
He further wrote, “But this is why students no longer have any faith in the Modi government. It has consistently prioritized its own malignant political calculations over student interest. It deliberately suppressed evidence of widespread irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024 exam, despite highly suspicious clustering of toppers in a few exam centres.”
Questions raised on CBI investigation and accountability
Jairam Ramesh said, “It has finally admitted that there was a ‘selective leak’ in Hazaribagh in that year’s NEET exam, but it has failed to bring the culprits to justice – after naming Sanjeev Mukhiya as the mastermind of the leak, it is now claiming he is innocent. The CBI has also filed a closure report alleging that there was no paper leak in the canceled UGC-NET 2024 exam, but failed to give any reason for the same Is.”
The Congress general secretary further highlighted growing concerns over the handling of the testing controversies and argued that the administration neglected accountability and failed to effectively address the recent protests. He wrote, “This crisis arises not from our slow-moving judiciary alone, but from the weak investigation conducted by the CBI and the dishonest political leadership of the Modi government. The Prime Minister’s lack of commitment to accountability is evident from his failure to mention the student protests or the brutality meted out to him by his police forces on July 20.”
Jairam Ramesh made three demands
Jairam Ramesh further said, “Therefore, whatever pretext the Prime Minister proposes, the first steps to any solution are clear – 1. Fire the Minister Pradhan 2. Punish those who beat him 3. Apologize.”
PM Modi assured strict action
Earlier, PM Modi urged Sonam Wangchuk to follow her daily routine as per doctor’s advice and get back her old weight as soon as possible. This comes after activist Sonam Wangchuk ended her fast after 26 days. In a post on Twitter, PM Modi said, “I urge Sonam ji to follow her daily routine as per the advice of doctors and get her old weight back as soon as possible.”
The PM also promised that “more strict” action will be taken against paper leaks as CJP-led protests continue over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2026 exam. “I have instructed departments to set up fast-track courts,” he said. Along with the video, the Prime Minister wrote, “There will be more strict action against paper leaks in tomorrow’s cabinet!”
Opposition’s demand and Sonam Wangchuk’s fast end
On the other hand, the opposition and protesting students are demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and a detailed discussion on the NEET paper leak issue in the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament, a controversy that has sparked protests inside and outside the House.
Meanwhile, on Friday, Sonam Wangchuk ended her hunger strike after 26 days at Medanta Hospital in the presence of Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh and senior leaders of the apex body of Leh-Ladakh. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet News editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)