Mangaluru: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) General Secretary Padmaraj R. Poojary on Friday alleged that the Centre had “completely failed” to prevent the NEET question paper leak, forcing students across the country to take to the streets in protest.
Addressing a press conference at the Dakshina Kannada District Congress office, Poojary criticised the Centre’s handling of the NEET controversy and alleged that the treatment meted out to Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi during his protest in support of students reflected an “authoritarian approach” by the government.
He said the Union Education Minister should take moral responsibility for the alleged question paper leak and referred to the police action against students during protests in Delhi. Poojary also alleged that female students were assaulted during the demonstrations and questioned whether such incidents were consistent with the government’s ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ campaign. His remarks were made in the context of allegations raised by the Congress, and the Centre has not officially responded to these specific claims.
Claiming that multiple examination paper leaks had occurred since the establishment of the National Testing Agency (NTA), Poojary alleged that the NEET controversy had severely affected students and their families. Some of the figures and claims cited by him regarding examination leaks and student deaths have not been independently verified.
The Congress leader also questioned statements suggesting that foreign funding or extremist elements were behind the student protests. He asked whether any intelligence agencies had submitted reports supporting such allegations and, if so, why preventive action had not been taken.
Poojary said students should never become victims of political conflicts and called for measures to safeguard the integrity of the country’s examination system.
Congress leaders Appi, T.K. Sudheer, Jayasheela Adyanthaya, Premanath and Samarth Bhat were also present at the press conference.
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