LIVE | Modi says ‘no mercy’ for paper leak mafia; Dipke’s ‘your skin is brighter...’ jibe
After Parliament passed stricter anti-paper leak legislation, the prime minister vowed a crackdown while CJP called for structural reforms to prevent exam fraud
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said there would be “no mercy” for the paper leak mafia and stressed the need for comprehensive reforms to the education system after Parliament passed a law introducing stricter punishments for exam fraud.
Also read | Anti-paper leak bill proposes tougher punishment, omits deeper flaws in supply chain
The Prime Minister’s remarks, made in a video message on Instagram, drew a sharp response from Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke, whose movement spearheaded the nationwide protests that culminated in the legislation. Responding to Modi's post, Dipke took a swipe at him, commenting, “Your skin is brighter than the country's future.”
CJP questions govt approach
Dipke's remark comes amid a continuing confrontation between the CJP and the Centre over recurring examination paper leaks. The party has led weeks of protests, demanding sweeping reforms to the examination system, greater accountability and action against those responsible for repeated irregularities.
Even before Parliament passed the amendment bill, the CJP had criticised the proposed changes, arguing that they were aimed more at punishing those involved after a paper leak than preventing such incidents in the first place.
During the parliamentary debate, CJP national spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka, in a video message posted on X, said the bill failed to address the systemic weaknesses that have allowed paper leaks to recur.
"You have been talking about everything after the paper leak, whether it is fast-track courts, harsher punishments or penalties. But you have not talked about what you are doing to stop paper leaks," Ranka said. He urged the Centre to focus on structural reforms, including overhauling the National Testing Agency (NTA) and bringing greater transparency to the examination process.
Modi vows tough crackdown
In his late evening video message on Instagram shortly after Parliament passed a bill to amend the anti-paper leak law to introduce stricter punishments, Modi said it was part of the government's efforts to tackle the menace that has threatened the future of children and posed a challenge for the Centre as well as several states.
Also read | How India's new anti-paper leak law can improve its exam structure
"The Centre and many states have been facing the paper leak problem for several years," he said, adding that the menace has threatened the future of children appearing in various examinations. "We will not spare the paper leak gangs, paper leak mafia and those playing with the future of children," the prime minister said.
(With agency inputs)
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Live Updates
- 31 July 2026 9:43 AM IST
Rahul Gandhi tells Modi, Shah: You cannot threaten Gen Z into silence
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the government's handling of student protesters. In a post on X, Rahul said the Centre could not "threaten Gen Z into silence," alleging that authorities had first "broken their bones" and were now filing FIRs against them and taking down their social media accounts. "You are India's past. Be careful about how you treat India's future," he said.
- 31 July 2026 9:16 AM IST
CPI(ML) MP, AISA leader meet Junaid, condemn alleged police harassment
CPI(ML) MP Raja Ram Singh and AISA president Neha on Thursday met Mohammad Junaid, a CJP volunteer and prominent face at the Jantar Mantar protest site, and condemned what they described as "continued harassment" of him and his family by Delhi and Uttar Pradesh police.
In a statement, the CPI(ML) and the All India Students' Association (AISA) said Singh and Neha expressed their "deepest gratitude and unwavering solidarity" with Junaid for supporting the protest by providing free food, drinking water and other essential supplies to participants.
The two leaders alleged that Junaid and his family had since been subjected to "relentless harassment" by the Delhi and Uttar Pradesh police and targeted through a "vicious hate campaign" because of his support for the movement.
They condemned the alleged harassment and said attempts to intimidate those extending solidarity to democratic movements would not succeed.
Junaid visited Singh's Delhi residence where the two leaders met him.
The statement said the CPI(ML), AISA and the student community stood "shoulder to shoulder" with Junaid and his family.
- 31 July 2026 9:03 AM IST
'We want withdrawal of FIRs, not just closure': CJP's Saurav Das
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Thursday welcomed the Delhi government's notification directing that no further action be taken on FIRs filed in connection with its 36-day agitation, but said the cases should be formally withdrawn, warning that any dilution of the assurances given under the July 25 Jantar Mantar agreement could force students back onto the streets.
Speaking to PTI Videos, CJP chief spokesperson Saurav Das said the wording of the notification did not reflect what was promised by the government. "The Delhi government has released a notification which says that all the FIRs will not be pursued further and they may be treated as closed. We are not very happy with the term. The term that they should have used is that the FIRs will be withdrawn," Das said.
Das said the order did not bar withdrawal of FIRs. "The government is saying that the Supreme Court has mandated that the FIRs proceed. But that's a misreading and a misleading of the situation. Nowhere in the Supreme Court order has the Supreme Court said that the FIRs cannot be withdrawn. Those powers exist with the government," he said.
He urged the Centre to honour the assurances given to protesters on July 25. "The government should not be using the Supreme Court order as a weapon to go against protesters. What was guaranteed before the entire nation on July 25, the Jantar Mantar agreement, the government should come good on its promises and honour its words," Das said.
"If it does not honour its words in letter and spirit, then the young generation of this country will never ever forgive them and will be forced to come back on the streets," Das told PTI.
- 31 July 2026 9:02 AM IST
FIR lodged in Noida against woman over alleged abusive remarks against PM Modi
A Zero FIR has been registered in Noida against a woman for allegedly using abusive language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, police said on Thursday.
The FIR was lodged at the Expressway police station on the complaint of Smriti Singh, a resident of Ghaziabad, against Ruchika Singh, a resident of Sector 168 in Noida.
According to the FIR, the complainant alleged that on July 23, the accused used "abusive and objectionable" language against the prime minister at Jantar Mantar, hurting the dignity of the constitutional office and with the intention of spreading hatred and disturbing public peace.
Based on the complaint, the police registered a case under Sections 352 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace), 353(1) (statements conducing to public mischief) and 356(1) (defamation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), officials said.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Noida) Manisha Singh confirmed the registration of the case. "A resident of Ghaziabad lodged an FIR against a resident of Sector 168, Noida, alleging that she used abusive language against the Prime Minister of India at Jantar Mantar. It is a Zero FIR and will be transferred to New Delhi for further investigation," the officer said.
