Raghav Chadha breaks silence on his silence over NEET paper leak
BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha broke his silence on the NEET paper leak in a fiery speech on Thursday, saying his earlier role in the Opposition was to raise various issues but now that he's on the treasury benches, his focus has shifted to finding solutions.
Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha on Thursday explained why he has been silent on the NEET paper leak issue that has taken the country by storm. In a fiery speech during the debate on the anti-paper leak bill, the former AAP leader said such instances cannot be addressed through "media soundbites but need an institutional solution". Taking a dig at the Congress and his former party AAP, the 37-year-old added that his role had changed after moving from the Opposition to the treasury benches, with his focus now being on finding solutions.
Addressing the House, Chadha said many people had questioned why he had not spoken about the NEET paper leak. He said that he did an honest job while on the Opposition side by raising questions regarding various problems that citizens of the country faced, but now his role has changed.
"Earlier, when I was in the Opposition, it was my job to raise questions, and I did it honestly. Now I am on the treasury benches, so my role has changed. My responsibility is no longer to ask questions but to provide solutions," he said.
Chadha added that he does not need headlines or to mark attendance by speaking in front of the cameras, but rather the outcome. "I had made a promise to myself that I would speak about the matter in Parliament only when we could bring a solution and when the system is being fixed. And today is that historic day when the system is being fixed," he said.
The 37-year-old MP also sent a message to the affected and protesting students, saying their frustration is justified. He added that for a NEET aspirant, writing a paper is a gateway for his family to a better future. Explaining his stance, Chadha said that aspirants move to faraway cities such as Kota and Delhi, among others, compromise on their social and family life and their parents budget to pay for coaching centres – all with the hope of clearing the exam.
"Your anger is justified. Your emotions are justified. Your pain is justified," he said.
The former AAP MP said that the NDA-led Centre acted swiftly after hearing the concerns of students, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi acting like a guardian.
"When students expressed their concerns, the Prime Minister listened to them like a guardian and changed the system. For the first time, our government has brought a comprehensive framework to tackle paper leaks. When it came to students, the government listened and acted," Chadha said.
He further said the investigation into the NEET paper leak had been expedited. "The students placed their concerns before the Prime Minister with hope, and several actions were taken. A charge sheet was filed in a fast-track court within just 75 days. The investigation was not allowed to drag on," he said.
Chadha also announced that future NEET examinations would be conducted through a computer-based system instead of using OMR sheets.
'Paper leaks are a chronic disease'
During his speech, the BJP MP stressed that paper leaks should not be viewed through a political lens as it's a chronic disease. He said that accountability and ethics should prevail over party politics and that it should not matter in which state a paper leak occurred, which minister was in office, or which political party was in power.
Chadha also took a swipe at his former party, citing the alleged irregularities during the Punjab Pharmacy Officer recruitment examination held on July 19. He alleged that candidates were assisted through Bluetooth devices for live cheating during the examination and that an organised cheating syndicate had charged aspirants up to Rs 13 lakh each for facilitating malpractice.
He went on to say that since the AAP came into power in Punjab, multiple recruitment examination irregularities have been reported.
Chadha also took a jibe at the Congress, which is in power in Karnataka, highlighting the SSLC paper leak in January wherein aspirants were sold the question papers for Rs 200 each.
Calling for bipartisan support, the BJP MP urged all sides to back the proposed legislation so that public confidence in the examination system could be restored and the interests of hardworking students protected.
The anti-paper leak bill passed both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha via a voice vote and heavy Opposition sloganeering and eventual walkout on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.
Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha on Thursday explained why he has been silent on the NEET paper leak issue that has taken the country by storm. In a fiery speech during the debate on the anti-paper leak bill, the former AAP leader said such instances cannot be addressed through "media soundbites but need an institutional solution". Taking a dig at the Congress and his former party AAP, the 37-year-old added that his role had changed after moving from the Opposition to the treasury benches, with his focus now being on finding solutions.
Addressing the House, Chadha said many people had questioned why he had not spoken about the NEET paper leak. He said that he did an honest job while on the Opposition side by raising questions regarding various problems that citizens of the country faced, but now his role has changed.
"Earlier, when I was in the Opposition, it was my job to raise questions, and I did it honestly. Now I am on the treasury benches, so my role has changed. My responsibility is no longer to ask questions but to provide solutions," he said.
Chadha added that he does not need headlines or to mark attendance by speaking in front of the cameras, but rather the outcome. "I had made a promise to myself that I would speak about the matter in Parliament only when we could bring a solution and when the system is being fixed. And today is that historic day when the system is being fixed," he said.
The 37-year-old MP also sent a message to the affected and protesting students, saying their frustration is justified. He added that for a NEET aspirant, writing a paper is a gateway for his family to a better future. Explaining his stance, Chadha said that aspirants move to faraway cities such as Kota and Delhi, among others, compromise on their social and family life and their parents budget to pay for coaching centres – all with the hope of clearing the exam.
"Your anger is justified. Your emotions are justified. Your pain is justified," he said.
The former AAP MP said that the NDA-led Centre acted swiftly after hearing the concerns of students, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi acting like a guardian.
"When students expressed their concerns, the Prime Minister listened to them like a guardian and changed the system. For the first time, our government has brought a comprehensive framework to tackle paper leaks. When it came to students, the government listened and acted," Chadha said.
He further said the investigation into the NEET paper leak had been expedited. "The students placed their concerns before the Prime Minister with hope, and several actions were taken. A charge sheet was filed in a fast-track court within just 75 days. The investigation was not allowed to drag on," he said.
Chadha also announced that future NEET examinations would be conducted through a computer-based system instead of using OMR sheets.
'Paper leaks are a chronic disease'
During his speech, the BJP MP stressed that paper leaks should not be viewed through a political lens as it's a chronic disease. He said that accountability and ethics should prevail over party politics and that it should not matter in which state a paper leak occurred, which minister was in office, or which political party was in power.
Chadha also took a swipe at his former party, citing the alleged irregularities during the Punjab Pharmacy Officer recruitment examination held on July 19. He alleged that candidates were assisted through Bluetooth devices for live cheating during the examination and that an organised cheating syndicate had charged aspirants up to Rs 13 lakh each for facilitating malpractice.
He went on to say that since the AAP came into power in Punjab, multiple recruitment examination irregularities have been reported.
Chadha also took a jibe at the Congress, which is in power in Karnataka, highlighting the SSLC paper leak in January wherein aspirants were sold the question papers for Rs 200 each.
Calling for bipartisan support, the BJP MP urged all sides to back the proposed legislation so that public confidence in the examination system could be restored and the interests of hardworking students protected.
The anti-paper leak bill passed both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha via a voice vote and heavy Opposition sloganeering and eventual walkout on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.
Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha on Thursday explained why he has been silent on the NEET paper leak issue that has taken the country by storm. In a fiery speech during the debate on the anti-paper leak bill, the former AAP leader said such instances cannot be addressed through "media soundbites but need an institutional solution". Taking a dig at the Congress and his former party AAP, the 37-year-old added that his role had changed after moving from the Opposition to the treasury benches, with his focus now being on finding solutions.
Addressing the House, Chadha said many people had questioned why he had not spoken about the NEET paper leak. He said that he did an honest job while on the Opposition side by raising questions regarding various problems that citizens of the country faced, but now his role has changed.
"Earlier, when I was in the Opposition, it was my job to raise questions, and I did it honestly. Now I am on the treasury benches, so my role has changed. My responsibility is no longer to ask questions but to provide solutions," he said.
Chadha added that he does not need headlines or to mark attendance by speaking in front of the cameras, but rather the outcome. "I had made a promise to myself that I would speak about the matter in Parliament only when we could bring a solution and when the system is being fixed. And today is that historic day when the system is being fixed," he said.
The 37-year-old MP also sent a message to the affected and protesting students, saying their frustration is justified. He added that for a NEET aspirant, writing a paper is a gateway for his family to a better future. Explaining his stance, Chadha said that aspirants move to faraway cities such as Kota and Delhi, among others, compromise on their social and family life and their parents budget to pay for coaching centres – all with the hope of clearing the exam.
"Your anger is justified. Your emotions are justified. Your pain is justified," he said.
The former AAP MP said that the NDA-led Centre acted swiftly after hearing the concerns of students, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi acting like a guardian.
"When students expressed their concerns, the Prime Minister listened to them like a guardian and changed the system. For the first time, our government has brought a comprehensive framework to tackle paper leaks. When it came to students, the government listened and acted," Chadha said.
He further said the investigation into the NEET paper leak had been expedited. "The students placed their concerns before the Prime Minister with hope, and several actions were taken. A charge sheet was filed in a fast-track court within just 75 days. The investigation was not allowed to drag on," he said.
Chadha also announced that future NEET examinations would be conducted through a computer-based system instead of using OMR sheets.
'Paper leaks are a chronic disease'
During his speech, the BJP MP stressed that paper leaks should not be viewed through a political lens as it's a chronic disease. He said that accountability and ethics should prevail over party politics and that it should not matter in which state a paper leak occurred, which minister was in office, or which political party was in power.
Chadha also took a swipe at his former party, citing the alleged irregularities during the Punjab Pharmacy Officer recruitment examination held on July 19. He alleged that candidates were assisted through Bluetooth devices for live cheating during the examination and that an organised cheating syndicate had charged aspirants up to Rs 13 lakh each for facilitating malpractice.
He went on to say that since the AAP came into power in Punjab, multiple recruitment examination irregularities have been reported.
Chadha also took a jibe at the Congress, which is in power in Karnataka, highlighting the SSLC paper leak in January wherein aspirants were sold the question papers for Rs 200 each.
Calling for bipartisan support, the BJP MP urged all sides to back the proposed legislation so that public confidence in the examination system could be restored and the interests of hardworking students protected.
The anti-paper leak bill passed both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha via a voice vote and heavy Opposition sloganeering and eventual walkout on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.
