Fadnavis dares Rahul Gandhi to debate over NEET paper leak in Parliament

Mumbai, July 23 (IANS) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday hit back at the opposition over the ongoing agitation against the NEET paper leak controversy, challenging Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other opposition parties to raise the issue in Parliament rather than pursue what he termed "street politics". 

Addressing reporters, Fadnavis said that if the Opposition was genuinely concerned about students' interests, it should participate in a parliamentary debate and hold the government accountable through democratic institutions.

"I challenge Rahul Gandhi and the entire opposition: stop running away and face the debate in Parliament. If you truly care about the students, show some courage. In a democracy, decisions are made in Parliament, not on the streets. If you believe in the Constitution of India, debate in Parliament and demand answers there. If you have actionable ideas, hold the government accountable to implement them. Stop using these student protests to further your own political agenda."

CM Fadnavis stated that genuine solutions in the interest of students can only be achieved through dialogue. He highlighted the initiatives taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including the setup of fast-track courts to penalize those involved in paper leaks.

"The NEET re-examination was completed smoothly without any hurdles. Students are happy and celebrating. This is how exams should be conducted," CM Fadnavis remarked.

Attacking the Congress party's track record, CM Fadnavis added, "The Opposition is simply not prepared to debate. Congress needs to account for how paper leaks occurred in Karnataka, Telangana, and Rajasthan under their rule. Scams under their respective state governments will be exposed. Their mindset is purely driven by anarchy."

Commenting on the announcement by Uddhav and Raj Thackeray on a protest march on July 26 in Mumbai, CM Fadnavis brought up past allegations regarding the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) scam in Maharashtra.

"I would like to remind everyone that the biggest TET scam in the state's history took place when Uddhav Thackeray was the Chief Minister, involving senior IAS officers. Failing candidates were illegally passed during his tenure. In contrast, when our administration noticed irregularities in the TET exam, we caught the scammers before the exam took place. They should stop hiding their own flaws while pointing fingers at others," he remarked.

CM Fadnavis' comment comes when political tensions have escalated in the Indian capital following a violent turn during the protest organised by the CJP (Cockroach Janta Party) at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Monday, July 20.

The police resorted to a lathi-charge on student protesters. Following the incident, the Congress party launched an aggressive demonstration outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence, leading to the temporary detention of Rahul Gandhi.

Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party have firmly demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, resulting in continuous disruptions to parliamentary proceedings.

--IANS

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