Congress slams PM Modi’s video on paper leaks as ‘desperate,’ demands Pradhan’s resignation

New Delhi: The Indian National Congress asserted on Friday that a visibly distressed Prime Minister Narendra Modi ultimately broke his prolonged silence regarding examination paper leaks through a video address, while contending that his omission of any reference to ongoing student demonstrations or police crackdowns demonstrates an absence of accountability.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh maintained that regardless of any subsequent measures proposed by the administration, the foundational prerequisites for a resolution remain unchanged: dismissing Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, penalising officers responsible for violence against protesters, and issuing an apology.

"The desperate and hassled-looking Pradhan Mantri finally broke his two-month-long silence late last night via a video message to speak on paper leaks," Ramesh wrote on X, pointing out that the Modi administration previously rejected claims of a breach during the NEET-UG 2026 tests.
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"The Mantri Pradhan deliberately refused to use the word leak in his press conference and the Education Ministry officially denied that a paper leak occurred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education," Ramesh added, noting that public pressure over the past eight weeks ultimately forced an acknowledgement of the issue.

Ramesh argued that these factors explain the erosion of student confidence in the executive branch, accusing authorities of prioritising political expediency over academic welfare and downplaying previous irregularities during the 2024 testing cycle. He further criticised the Central Bureau of Investigation for filing a closure report concerning the cancelled UGC-NET examination without providing adequate justifications.

"This crisis does not originate in our slow-moving judiciary alone, but in the weak investigations conducted by the CBI and the dishonest political leadership of the Modi Government," the opposition spokesperson remarked. "The Pradhan Mantri's lack of commitment to accountability is evident from his failure to even mention the student protests or the brutality unleashed on them by his police forces on 20th July."

Prime Minister Modi announced on Thursday evening that a draft legislation featuring stringent penalties for paper leaks will be reviewed by the Union Cabinet on Friday ahead of being introduced during the second week of the Monsoon session on Monday.

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In his recorded statement, Modi acknowledged the distress caused to candidates and their families, noting that authorities acted swiftly over the preceding two and a half months to apprehend culprits and ensure approximately 2.2 million students could complete their re-examinations without losing an academic year.

"The guilty have been caught. They are now in jail. Our most significant responsibility was to ensure that the students did not lose a year. It was necessary to hold the examination immediately. By using all resources, the government ensured that 22 lakh students could attend the retest," Modi stated.

Shortly following the broadcast, Lok Sabha opposition leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the Prime Minister for avoiding demands regarding Education Minister Pradhan's departure, urging the administration not to trivialise the intelligence of youth with a "pathetic midnight video."

PTI