“You sacked Pradhan to save Pradhan Mantri (Prime Minister),” Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday took aims at the Centre on the issue of NEET paper leaks and resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as education minister.
Speaking in Parliament during the discussion on the Bill in the Lok Sabha to amend the anti-paper leaks law, the SP MP said that the students protest forced the government to bow down and accept the demands.
Applauding the students for the protest, Akhilesh said that what started with a joke evolved into a nationwide movement, which even forced the government to think democratically.
” I complement the students on their movement. They have turned even this government democratic as they had to allow the protest. We have seen times when this government didn’t even let people protest,” Yadav said.
“Sarkaar bhi jhukti hai, jhukane wala chahiye (Government too bows down if its faced with a tough opposition),” he added crediting the students with forcing the government to listen.
Taking a swipe at the government’s agreement with the protesters, Akhilesh Yadav said he hoped the Centre would fulfil its promises to the students. “This government offers jumlas, not promises. We hope it will keep its word to the students,” he said.
Slamming the crackdown on protesters in Delhi, Yadav said it reminded him of the Emergency days. “I have not seen the Emergency, but what happened then, we got to see in Delhi last week when students were brutally beaten with spiked rods and electric batons, and fired at with pellet guns,” he said.
Questioning the need for the new law, the SP chief pointed out that despite the government bringing in a new law in 2024, paper leaks did not stop, and now the government has been forced to bring in an amendment.
Akhilesh Yadav also raised the issue of alleged theft of Ram Mandir donations, saying that the BJP government could neither stop donation theft nor paper leaks.”The people who allowed the Ram Mandir donation theft to happen are also allowing the papers to leak,” Yadav said.
The Centre on Monday introduced the Bill in the Lok Sabha to amend the anti-paper leaks law, with provisions for stricter punishment of up to 10 years in jail and Rs 50 lakh fine. The discussion on the amendment started on Tuesday.
Akhilesh Yadav also raised the issue of demolition threat at Rampur’s Jauhar University. “The government that cannot build any new university is now going after a private university with hammer and bulldozer,” he said referring demolition notices for several buildings at the Jauhar University.
