Kharge criticises government's approach to paper leak amendment Bill

PTI, July 30, 2026, New Delhi : He said that provisions for higher fines, stricter punishment, and fast-track courts would not make any difference in cases of paper leaks.

Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, on Thursday accused the government of bringing the amendment to the anti-paper-leak law only to pacify the agitating youth, not to address the issue.

Speaking on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, Kharge said the government has not explained how it would conduct examinations that could prevent paper leaks.

He said that provisions for higher fines, stricter punishment, and fast-track courts would not make any difference in cases of paper leaks.

What would make a difference, he argued, is how the government conducts these examinations.

Kharge added that unless institutions and the examination system are reformed and accountability is fixed, paper leaks will continue to occur, and “we will be discussing the same thing here again”.

“Paper leaks hurt innocent students and their parents,” Kharge said.

He asserted that Rahul Gandhi had raised the issue of paper leaks during his Bharat Jodo Yatra and that the Opposition had also demanded a stringent law in 2024, when the bill was first passed.

However, he alleged that the government enacted the law in haste for political reasons.

“Now, within two years, you have to amend it. But it is still incomplete,” Kharge said.

Congratulating the youth for forcing the government to remove Dharmendra Pradhan as Education Minister, he said that because of their strong voice, along with the Opposition’s protests in Parliament, the government finally bowed to their demands.

He claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to remove Pradhan to save his own chair.

Kharge criticised the government’s unwillingness to engage in dialogue, saying young people seeking discussions were labelled anti-nationals, lathi-charged, tear-gassed, and injured so severely by pellet guns that many required ICU admission.

He also criticised the absence of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister from the House, saying neither had spoken despite the unrest.

“I felt ashamed. I don’t know if he felt ashamed. Who is responsible for the atrocities against students?” he asked. “People’s power will drag him out.”

He said that if the Home Minister could not answer questions about who ordered the lathicharge and tear-gas attack on students, and who the people in plain clothes beating students were, then the Home Minister should resign.

Kharge also raised the issue of police action in states such as West Bengal and Bihar, alleging that students there were fired upon with AK-47 rifles.

He further alleged that paper leaks had occurred several times across the country during the Modi government’s tenure, but the government remained asleep.

He also claimed that the main accused in the 2024 NEET paper leak case was given a clean chit.