Both the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party are using the police to silence the voices of young people: Pargat Singh

Jalandhar, July 20, 2026: Former Education Minister and MLA Pargat Singh accused both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of suppressing the voices of young people. He said that the democratic rights of youth are under sustained attack across the country and in Punjab. According to him, the BJP government is using police force against students protesting over issues related to NEET in Delhi, while the AAP government in Punjab is resorting to baton charges against young protesters.
Pargat Singh said that although the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party engage in political rhetoric against each other, their approach to public issues is essentially the same. Acting as Team A and Team B, both governments are taking action against those who ask questions instead of addressing the concerns of young people, and are attempting to suppress their voices.
He said that the situation in Punjab is no different. Allegations of a cheating scam have surfaced in the recruitment examination for 454 Pharmacist Officers conducted by Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS). He demanded that the entire matter be investigated by an independent agency or a high-level Special Investigation Team (SIT) within a fixed timeframe, and that all those responsible be identified and prosecuted strictly, irrespective of any political or administrative patronage.
Pargat Singh said that the Bhagwant Mann government cannot evade its responsibility in this matter. He pointed out that while the Aam Aadmi Party protests against the NEET paper leak in Delhi, its silence over the serious allegations surrounding the pharmacist recruitment examination in Punjab raises several questions. He asked: Who was operating this alleged cheating network? Who is its mastermind? How much money changed hands in the entire operation? Why is the government avoiding answers to these questions?
He also alleged that journalists covering the protests in Punjab were being detained in an attempt to prevent the government's functioning and its alleged repressive approach from being exposed to the public. He said that any attack on media freedom is unacceptable in a democracy. The youth of Punjab are watching everything closely, and they will respond democratically in the time to come to attacks on employment, education, and democratic rights.