'No evidence of paper leak found...': What Education Minister Pradhan told Opposition on NEET UG 2024 row | WATCH

The NEET-UG 2024 paper leak row created an uproar in the Lok Sabha on the first day on the 2024 Budget Session. The Opposition, on Monday, asked Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan whether he considered “resigning” after the severe breach in the medical entrance.

Responding to the Opposition, Pradhan said, “I am here on the mercy of my leader, Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Whenever accountability comes, my government is collectively answerable to that.”

“Regarding anomalies and some information of some malpractices, out of 4,700 centres, due to proactive approach of Bihar Police, only in one place in Patna and surrounding points, there is an incident of anomaly. CBI is getting into the details. Some action has been taken. We are hiding nothing everything is on record,” he added.

‘No evidence of paper leak in last 7 years’

During the heated exchange in the parliament, Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi also attacked Pradhan and said: “The (Education) minister has blamed everybody except himself. I don’t even think he understands the fundamentals of what is going on here.”

Demanding a separate day-long discussion on the matter, Gandhi said: “Millions of people believe that if you are rich and you have money, you can buy the Indian examination system and this is the same feeling that the opposition has.”

Countering Gandhi’s allegations, Pradhan said: “There is no evidence of paper leak has been found in the last seven years.”

“Already this case is before Supreme Court. The Chief Justice of India (CJI) is personally presiding over the Bench,” he said.

Intensifying his attack on the government, Gandhi asked: “As this (NEET) is a systematic issue, what exactly are you doing to fix this issue?”

To this, Pradhan replied: “A lie will not become truth just by shouting. The fact that the Leader of Opposition says that the country’s examination system is rubbish, is highly condemnable.”

The discussion on NEET UG 2024 paper leak row turned more contentious in the Lok Sabha after Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav jumped in and criticised the government’s handling of the issue.

“This government will make a record of paper leaks. There are some centres where more than 2,000 students have passed. As long as this minister (Dharmendra Pradhan) is there, the students will not get justice,” Yadav claimed.

With inputs from agencies