Govt ready for in-depth Parliament discussion on paper leaks: JP Nadda

Former BJP president and Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha, JP Nadda, on Wednesday assured that the government is ready for an in-depth discussion in the Parliament over the ongoing protests and the NEET paper leak issue. He slammed Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, asked him and other political parties not to politicise the matter and work with the government to find a solution to the deadlock.

"Regarding the students' demands and the issues they have raised concerning the paper leak, my first appeal is that we should not politicise this matter; seeking political gain from it is inappropriate. This is a serious issue that requires in-depth discussion," Nadda said.

"We are open to discussions and the best place for discussions is the Parliament. We are ready for a discussion. We are ready to discuss every aspect of the issue," the Union Minister added.

Nadda accused Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi of selectively raising the issue of examination paper leaks to target the Centre while ignoring similar incidents in Congress and Opposition-ruled states.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi, Nadda said Rahul Gandhi had referred to around 150 paper leaks in his presentation in Parliament, but maintained that the government was prepared to investigate every case.

"This is a matter of investigation, and the government, being a responsible government, will investigate and present the truth before the public and the nation," Nadda said.

PAPER LEAK CASES IN OPPOSITION-RULED STATES

Seeking to counter the Opposition's attack on the Centre over the NEET controversy, Nadda cited alleged paper leak incidents in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal (under TMC), Punjab, Kerala and Karnataka.

He alleged that many of these incidents took place under Congress or Opposition governments.

"I want to ask Rahul Gandhi why you are so selective. Why have you not discussed Congress and Congress-supported governments? This clearly shows that your objective is not the welfare of students or improving the quality of education. You only want to gain political mileage from students' issues and demands," he said.

'READY FOR 12-HOUR OR 18-HOUR DEBATE'

Nadda reiterated that the Centre was willing to hold an extensive debate on paper leaks in Parliament and urged the Opposition not to "shift the goalposts."

"We have always wanted the issue to be discussed in Parliament. Whether it is a short-duration discussion or a long-duration discussion, the Opposition can decide the format. If they want 12 hours, we are ready. If they want 18 hours, we are ready," he said.

Calling Parliament the most appropriate forum to deliberate on the issue, Nadda said both the government and the Opposition should work together to formulate a long-term policy to prevent examination malpractices.

"Children belong to all of us. They are the future of the country. It is the responsibility of both the government and the Opposition to work together and find a lasting solution," he added.

ON MEETING CJP REPRESENTATIVES

Responding to questions about his meetings with representatives of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), Nadda said discussions had taken place in a cordial atmosphere and that the delegation had submitted its demands in writing.

"We listened to their views very calmly. I suggested that they submit their points in writing, and they have done so. I also told them that we are ready for discussions whenever they want," he said.

Clarifying reports of another round of talks, Nadda said, "We had no meeting today."

His remarks came amid an escalating political confrontation over the NEET paper leak controversy, with the Opposition demanding accountability from the Centre while the government has maintained that it is open to a comprehensive parliamentary debate on examination reforms.

RAHUL GANDHI: STUDENTS' DEMANDS NON-NEGOTIABLE

Earlier in the day, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi threw his weight behind the protesting students, describing their demands—including the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan—as "fully legitimate" and "non-negotiable."

Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters, Gandhi accused the government of panicking in the face of the students' movement and resorting to force against both protesters and Opposition leaders.

"The government is actually in panic. What they did to the students was a panic reaction. What they did to us yesterday was also a panic reaction," he said.

Referring to Tuesday's protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence, Gandhi said he was unconcerned about being "dragged, punched and removed" by the police.

He added that his responsibility was to raise the concerns of the people.

"I am used to getting punched. A couple of punches are not a problem. My job is to express the voice of the people of India."

'STUDENTS ARE NOT TERRORISTS'

Gandhi condemned the police action against students who participated in the "Sansad Chalo" protest, saying they were peacefully demanding a fair education system. "These students are not terrorists. They are simply asking for an education system that works and is fair," he said.

A video showing the alleged police action against students was played before Gandhi addressed the media. He also claimed that many police personnel privately sympathised with the students.

"Sensible police personnel feel this is a crime against the future of the country."

'EDUCATION SYSTEM IS RIGGED'

Launching a broader attack on the government, Gandhi alleged that India's education system had become inaccessible for ordinary families while paper leaks continued unchecked. "The education system is not only rigged, it is also unaffordable for poor and middle-class families," he said.

Claiming that 152 paper leaks had occurred over the past decade, Gandhi alleged there had been no convictions despite 7.5 crore students being affected. "Every month lakhs of students are told that all the stress they went through was meaningless because the paper has leaked," he said.

He further claimed that Indian families spend Rs 1.32 lakh crore annually on examinations—almost equal to the Union education budget—and alleged that repeated paper leaks amounted to a betrayal of students and parents.