LIVE: LS discusses anti-paper leak Bill; CJP warns of fresh protest

Congress MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh alleges excesses against students

Congress MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh on Tuesday alleged that students protesting in Bihar were subjected to excessive force, claiming that even AK-47 rifles were used during the incident.

Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Singh said the police treated the students "like terrorists" and described the alleged use of force as deeply disturbing. He called for a comprehensive investigation into the incident and sought accountability for those responsible.

Kolkata court sends 16 in protest violence to judcial custody

A Kolkata court on Tuesday sent 16 people arrested in connection with the violence that broke out during a Left-backed protest over the alleged NEET paper leak to judicial custody until July 30.

The violence erupted during a march from Sealdah railway station to Esplanade in central Kolkata, where several journalists were also assaulted and injured.

The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court rejected the bail pleas of the accused and ordered their judicial custody. The 16 individuals have been booked under provisions of the recently enacted Goonda Act.

After the clashes on Friday, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said those responsible for the violence were not linked to the agitation against the alleged NEET paper leak and were suspected to be anti-national elements.

According to the state government, at least 70 people identified in the violence were neither students nor members of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), and had no direct association with the anti-NEET paper leak movement.

Opposing bail, the state's counsel told the court that releasing the accused at this stage could adversely affect the ongoing investigation.

Dayanidhi Maran calls for abolition of NEET

DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran on Tuesday called for the abolition of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), arguing that the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill failed to address the root cause of examination-related concerns.

Participating in the Lok Sabha debate on the Bill, Maran said, "At the outset, I want to say abolish NEET. Your Bill doesn't address the core issue. The core issue is NEET, which is not a just or uniform system.

TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee says Exam Bill can't erase Govt failures

Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday said the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill reflected the government's failure to curb examination paper leaks despite enacting a law two years ago.

Speaking during the Lok Sabha debate, Banerjee said, "That you have to amend an Act passed just 2 years ago is a testament to the fact that your Act of 2024 was a total failure."

He argued that the proposed changes would not address the underlying issues. "This Bill will not wash away 12 years of failure; it will not erase the protest of students who faced lathis, pellet guns and tear gas," he said.

Banerjee also said, "Young India will remember who stood with them and who tried to suppress their voice and dreams."

Questioning the government's promise of fast-track courts for paper leak cases, he said, "Two days ago the PM made a reel to announce fast-track courts. On day one of the fast-track court, this happened yesterday... On day one, the court had to adjourn the paper leak case because the CBI counsel did not appear. They can't even ensure their lawyer is present in court, and they talk of fast-track courts delivering justice."

He added, "A govt that can't ensure its own lawyer's presence in the most important and biggest case of paper leak has no moral authority to lecture on youth aspirations, examinations, protecting the interests of youth..."

TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee says Exam Bill admits Govt failure

Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday backed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill but argued that it reflected the government's failure to prevent recurring examination paper leaks.

Participating in the Lok Sabha debate, Banerjee said, "We support the Bill but the Bill being discussed is not a solution but an admission of this govt that it failed the students. Whenever systems collapse they change the law, increase punishments. Paper leaks have become a system that repeats year after year under this govt."

Questioning the government's ability to secure public examinations, he said, "If you are so competent and decisive, why can't you secure one question paper? If question papers require transport by Air Force, protection reserved for national security... It shows the scale of govt failure."

Banerjee also accused the government of treating dissent with suspicion. "This govt believes every protest is a conspiracy, every student is an enemy," he said.

Referring to investigations into paper leak cases, Banerjee said, "At least 17 exam leak probes done in last 12 years and not a single conviction yet; all of these cases are being investigated by the CBI. ED is proving 11 such cases linked with PMLA cases, not a single conviction there either."

Concluding his speech, Banerjee said, "Every govt writes its own report card. When the NDA govt writes its report card, it will say it Failed to protect merit, exam, trust, dignity and honour."

Akhilesh Yadav backs Exam Bill, slams Govt on education

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday backed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill but questioned the government's record on education, examination security and recruitment.

Participating in the Lok Sabha debate, Yadav said, "Over 1 lakh govt schools have been shut by this govt. The highest were in UP - 26386 govt primary schools have been shut in UP alone. They have done massive scams in recruitment of 69000 teachers in UP. That matter is being fought in the courts even now. If my facts are not correct, let the govt respond."

He said examination leaks were not confined to NEET. "This is not just about NEET paper leak. Board papers for Class 10 and 12 have also been leaked. Does the govt have any explanation for how all these leaks happened even after the 2024 Act was passed."

Alleging ideological influence over public institutions, Yadav said, "Every institution today is being headed by people painted in the same colour (saffron - RSS affiliated people)." He also asked, "Why is this govt attacking the youth's education and employment? What is this govt doing to our demographic dividend."

Supporting the legislation, Yadav said, "We will support this Bill but we want you to explain to us that when you enacted the parent Act just 2 years ago in 2024, how did the NEET paper leak again?"

During his speech, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju interjected, asking Yadav for his views on the Emergency. Responding, Yadav said he was too young to understand the Emergency but had understood its impact after witnessing the recent police action against students. "Back then there were no electric charged lathis but this time you have used those too," he said before concluding his speech.

Akhilesh Yadav questions NTA over Exam Leak Bill

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday said the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill was brought after widespread public protests over alleged examination irregularities.

Participating in the Lok Sabha debate on the Bill, Yadav said, "I saw the protests from a distance. The slogan after their victory was against the govt - that this govt was arrogant and won't bow down but the protestors made this govt bow (jhukaane wala chahiye)."

Referring to former education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, he said, "When the minister who was removed (Dharmendra Pradhan) came to Parliament yesterday, he was welcomed. We have no problem with that welcome but it also betrayed the relief on the faces of those in power. They saved the Pradhan Mantri by taking the resignation of one Pradhan."

Calling the protests unprecedented, Yadav said, "An organisation that started as a joke and satire became so big and so serious that it forced the govt to bend. It forced the govt to give them permission to protest."

He added, "This was the first such protest that happened without any preparations. Parents told their children to participate, even parents joined in because this was a protest about our country's future."

Questioning the government's handling of the National Testing Agency, Yadav said, "Those who couldn't prevent donations from being stolen, how do we expect them to prevent exam papers from being leaked?"

He also criticised the outsourcing of examination functions, saying, "You set up NTA. It is supposed to conduct all exams and you outsourced even that? How can you outsource the organisation that is responsible for conducting such important exams. Where is the accountability in this outsourcing? We in the Opposition think tomorrow you will outsource the govt too. We want to know who were these 47 people of NTA who were removed? Who did you outsource exams to?"

BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj says Anti-Paper Leak Bill protects students' merit

BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj on Tuesday welcomed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, saying it would strengthen safeguards against examination paper leaks and protect students' interests.

Speaking during the Lok Sabha debate on the Bill, Swaraj backed the proposed changes and said the legislation would help ensure fairness in the examination system.

"This amendment protects merit, safeguards dreams of India's youth," Swaraj said while supporting the Bill.

Gaurav Gogoi links Exam Bill to student protests

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on Tuesday linked the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill to the nationwide protests over education, accusing the government of responding with force instead of addressing students' concerns.

Speaking during the Lok Sabha debate, Gogoi said, "There are protests across the country today on education. Understand their pain and anger."

He said the demonstrations reflected a change in the mood among young people. "The protests have shown that the youth have shed their fear. They braved lathis and brutalities because they have lost everything and they are no longer scared, but they still adhere to non-violent protests to get their voice heard."

Gogoi alleged that the police used excessive force against protesters. "The protests didn't just show us the beauty of democracy, but it also exposed the autocracy and brutality of this government. We saw how their police hit girls on their private parts, abused our students, and tore the clothes of women protestors. We want to know who gave these orders to the police. Who ordered the use of pellet guns, of electric-charged batons," he said.

At this point, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla asked Gogoi to confine his remarks to the Bill.

Responding to the Chair, Gogoi said the legislation itself was a consequence of the protests. "This Bill has come because the Home Minister ordered brutalities on the students and the protestors didn't bow down or go away." Gogoi then concluded his speech. 

Gaurav Gogoi calls Exam Bill a ‘monument to failures’

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on Tuesday criticised the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, describing it as an inadequate response to repeated examination paper leaks.

Opening the Opposition's case in the Lok Sabha, Gogoi said, "A cursory reading of the Bill and the remarks made by the minister shows this govt is not serious about education and exam reforms. This is purely a cosmetic measure taken in light of recent events."

Referring to the NEET UG paper leak investigation, he said, "The 2024 NEET UG paper leak probe showed extensive corruption and malpractice. Out of 45 people chargesheeted in that case, 44 have got bail. The key accused Sanjeev Mukhiya was absconding for 11 months and then secured bail. This is their (govt) seriousness and commitment to the students."

Calling the proposed law inadequate, Gogoi said, "This Bill is a monument to your failures," and asked, "If the 2024 Act was such a strong law, why did paper leaks continue?"

Targeting the former education minister, he said, "What did Dharmendra Pradhan say when the NEET paper leaked this year. He said no paper has leaked. 21 children committed suicide, and when the then minister who was removed due to protests came to this Parliament yesterday, he was welcomed as if he had won a war against Pakistan."

Questioning the government's reform agenda, Gogoi said, "This Bill has no measures to end the difference mafia that operates in the examination system. Instead of addressing serious concerns with the exam system, the PM tells his people to focus on Instagram."

He also questioned the implementation of earlier recommendations, saying, "They are talking of a high-level committee. What happened to the Radhakrishnan high-level committee that had recommendations just 2 years ago? If those recommendations were implemented, how did papers continue to leak?"

Raising concerns over the National Testing Agency, Gogoi said, "They are saying 47 NTA people have been sacked. The NTA has a sanctioned capacity of 34 people. Where did these 47 come from if the sanctioned strength was 34? Are these 47 people you have outsourced exams to?"

He further alleged, "The NTA chairman's only qualification is that he is associated with a particular organisation (RSS). He was previously in Madhya Pradesh and in Chhattisgarh in different positions, and there too paper leaks and scandals took place under him."

"The education department is a key department for the RSS. In all appointments and outsourcing, we see no focus on quality or preparing the generations for challenges that lie ahead but only to ensure that these children join the Sangh you all are associated with (the RSS)," he added.