Union Health Minister and Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha JP Nadda appealed to the Opposition not to politicise the issue of examination paper leaks, saying the government was ready for an extensive discussion in Parliament and would support the formulation of a long-term policy to prevent such incidents.
Addressing the ongoing controversy over alleged paper leaks, Nadda said the matter was too serious to be reduced to political point-scoring.
“The demand of the students and the issue they have raised regarding paper leaks should not be politicised. This is a serious problem and requires in-depth discussion,” he said.
Inviting the Opposition to decide the duration of the debate, Nadda said the government was willing to discuss the issue for as long as required.
“Whether it is a short-duration discussion or a long-duration discussion, you decide how much time you want. You can take 12 hours or 18 hours. The government is ready. Parliament is the most appropriate forum to discuss every aspect of this issue and come up with a concrete policy,” he said.
He stressed that protecting students’ interests was a shared responsibility of both the government and the Opposition.
“Children are ours, yours, and the future of the country. It is our collective responsibility to ensure justice for them and work towards a lasting solution.”
Referring to Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s presentation on alleged examination irregularities, Nadda said the Congress leader had cited around 150 paper leak cases.
“This is a matter of investigation, and the government, being a responsible government, will investigate and present the truth before the nation,” he said.
At the same time, Nadda accused Rahul Gandhi of being selective in highlighting cases, claiming that several paper leaks had occurred in states governed by Congress or its allies.
Listing alleged incidents from Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Telangana, Karnataka and Punjab, among others, he questioned why these cases had not been included in the Opposition’s criticism.
“Why are you so selective? Why have you not discussed Congress and Congress-supported governments? This shows your objective is not the welfare of students but political mileage,” he alleged.
Nadda also referred to his interaction with representatives of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), saying the meeting was held in a “very cordial atmosphere”. He said the delegation had submitted its demands in writing and reiterated that the government remained open to discussions whenever they sought them.
On his recent visit to activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is on a fast over the NEET paper leak issue, Nadda said he had visited to enquire about his health after he was shifted from Safdarjung Hospital to Medanta.
“We requested him to end his fast, join the mainstream and guide the children in the right direction. Our government is open to discussions on all issues,” he said, adding that Wangchuk had written an open letter and the government would respond before taking the dialogue forward.
Reiterating the Centre’s position, Nadda said the focus should now shift from political accusations to finding solutions.
“We should move beyond blame and counter-allegations. We are ready to discuss everything related to the paper leak in Parliament. The Opposition should present its views, and the government will respond.”
He concluded by assuring that the Narendra Modi-led government remained committed to a comprehensive parliamentary discussion.
“The government led by Prime Minister Modi is a responsible and responsive government. We are ready to discuss every aspect of the paper leak issue in Parliament.”
