Mallikarjun Kharge Slams PM Modi’s Video Message, Demands Full Accountability Over NEET Paper Leak
Political tensions in the national capital have reached a boiling point as the Congress party launches a fierce offensive against the central government over the ongoing NEET paper leak controversy and the recent police lathicharge on protesting students. Congress President and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, has launched a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, dismissing his late-night video message regarding strict cabinet actions as a one-sided "Mann Ki Baat." Kharge made it explicitly clear that the opposition will not entertain any parliamentary discussions on the education crisis until Prime Minister Modi arrives in Parliament with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation in hand and offers a formal apology to the nation's youth.
Kharge Rejects Video Address, Demands Floor Statement and Minister's Sacking
The political showdown intensified after Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a video message late Thursday night, assuring the public that the Union Cabinet would greenlight stringent anti-paper-leak measures during its Friday meeting. Rejecting this approach outright, Mallikarjun Kharge took to the social media platform X to criticize the Prime Minister's communication style. Kharge stated that when Parliament is actively in session, the Prime Minister is constitutionally bound to address lawmakers on the floor of the House rather than circulating video monologues outside parliament. Demanding immediate punitive accountability, Kharge asserted that before participating in any legislative debate on the education system, the government must dismiss Dharmendra Pradhan, apologize to aggrieved students, and initiate strict legal action against security forces who used batons and pellet guns to suppress peaceful student demonstrations.
Jairam Ramesh Slams Government's "Showmanship" and U-Turn on Paper Leak Denials
Echoing the party's aggressive stance, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh launched a scathing critique, stating that a visibly frustrated Prime Minister finally broke a two-month-long silence on the examination scandal. Ramesh pointed out the glaring hypocrisy of the administration, reminding the public that government representatives had spent months aggressively denying any paper leaks, with Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan deliberately avoiding the word "leak" during official press briefings and parliamentary committee depositions. According to the senior Congress leader, mounting public outrage and relentless student protests over the past two months ultimately forced the ruling administration to concede the truth. However, he emphasized that young aspirants have entirely lost faith in a dispensation that has historically prioritized political optics over student welfare.
CBI Investigations Questioned As Opposition Demands Justice for Students
The opposition also raised serious questions regarding the integrity of investigative agencies, highlighting alleged cover-ups and structural failures in handling high-stakes competitive examinations. Ramesh accused the government of initially attempting to bury widespread irregularities in the NEET-UG 2026 exam cycle while citing suspicious rank concentrations at select test centers. He further criticized the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for filing closure reports in cancelled exams without providing transparent justifications, pointing to systemic investigative weakness and political interference. Despite the Prime Minister's assurances that a stringent anti-paper-leak bill will be introduced in Parliament next week alongside fast-track court proceedings, the Congress party maintains that true accountability cannot begin without the immediate removal of Minister Pradhan and strict retribution for the police brutality inflicted upon protesting students on July 20.
