New Delhi: On the first day of the monsoon session, the Opposition tore into the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in the Lok Sabha over the NEET controversy, with Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi saying that education minister Dharmendra Pradhan had blamed everybody but himself over the alleged irregularities in the conduct of the NEET-UG exam.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said that as long as he (Pradhan) continued as education minister, students would not receive justice.
Making a sharp attack on Pradhan, Gandhi said, “I don’t even think he (Pradhan) understands the fundamentals of what is going on here…” Adding that it was a systemic issue, he sought to know what the government was doing on a systemic level to fix it.
“The issue is that there are millions of students in the country who are extremely concerned about what is going on and who are convinced that the Indian examination system is a fraud. Millions of people believe that if you are rich and you have money, you can buy the Indian examination system and this is the same feeling that the Opposition has…,” Gandhi said during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha.
Gandhi’s comments drew a sharp reaction from Pradhan, who said he held the post (of education minister) “at the mercy of my leader” and that the government was “collectively answerable”.
“A lie will not become the truth just by shouting. The fact that the leader of the Opposition says that the country’s examination system is rubbish is highly condemnable…,” Pradhan said.
The minister said no evidence of paper leaks had been found in the past seven years. “This (NEET) matter is going on before the Supreme Court. I can say with full responsibility that more than 240 exams have been conducted successfully by the NTA (National Testing Agency)…. Better to wait and watch the Supreme Court’s judgment. The government has nothing to hide, and has put out all facts,” the minister responded.
While saying that he didn’t want to do politics over NEET, Pradhan emphasised that the proposal to introduce the exam was approved in 2010, when the United Progressive Alliance was in power.
Other opposition members also sought an overhaul of the NTA, which conducts the NEET-UG. Attacking the government over the alleged irregularities, Yadav said, “Students across the country are protesting. Investigation is leading to revelations, arrests are being made. I have only one request: Students will not get justice if this minister continues,” he said, adding that there were some centres where more than 2,000 students passed.
In response, Pradhan said the results had been made public in accordance with the Supreme Court’s directions. “I don’t want to do politics, but I have a list of how many paper leaks happened when Akhilesh Yadav was in charge (as Uttar Pradesh chief minister),” he said.
(Edited by Rohan Manoj)
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