Samajwadi Party president and Lok Sabha MP Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday intensified the Opposition's attack on the Centre over the alleged NEET paper leak, questioning why Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has not been removed from office. Speaking during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, Yadav alleged that the government appeared to be "acting scared" and demanded an explanation for Pradhan's continuance despite mounting criticism over the examination controversy.
Addressing reporters outside Parliament, Akhilesh said, "We must think why the government is not able to remove its minister. What kind of pressure is there on the government? Does the minister hold secrets of the government because of which it is not able to remove him? The government is acting scared." He argued that the issue concerns the future of millions of students and deserves complete transparency from the government.
Speaking later in the Lok Sabha, the Samajwadi Party chief said the controversy should not be viewed through a political lens. "This is not an issue of Congress, Samajwadi Party or BJP. This is an issue of students and youth," he said, while criticising the government's handling of the protests over the alleged examination irregularities. He also questioned why Prime Minister Narendra Modi had not made a statement on the issue in Parliament, despite addressing it outside the House.
The remarks came as Opposition parties continued demanding the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan and sought a detailed debate on the alleged NEET paper leak. Trinamool Congress, Congress and other INDIA bloc leaders also accused the government of failing to protect students' interests and called for greater accountability from the Education Ministry.
The Centre, however, has maintained that it is prepared for a comprehensive discussion on the issue in Parliament. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the government is ready to debate the matter and has urged an all-party meeting to decide the format and duration of the discussion. The government has reiterated that investigations into the alleged paper leak are underway and that strict action will be taken against anyone found responsible.
The NEET controversy has become one of the central issues of the ongoing Monsoon Session, with protests both inside and outside Parliament. As investigations continue and political exchanges intensify, the alleged paper leak remains at the heart of the national debate on examination integrity, student welfare and accountability in public institutions.
