Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over alleged exam paper leaks and the handling of student protests, calling him the "most anti-youth" prime minister in India's history. Gandhi claimed that 152 exam papers had been leaked, affecting 7.5 crore students, alleged that no culprits had been punished, and accused the government of using force against students who raised concerns over the issue.
The boys and girls who are walking the streets of Delhi are not criminals, he said in a video message on social media platform X, adding that they are demanding their rights. "Their rights are to have an education system that respects them, an education system that is fair, and an education system that works."
Backing the protesting students, he said that there is absolutely nothing wrong with what they are doing, and it is "disgusting" what the government is doing.
"Prime Minister Modi is the most anti-youth Prime Minister in India's history—so anti-youth that he cannot even seek the resignation of a failed Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan," he stated.
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"152 paper leaks. 7.5 crore students affected. And not even one guilty person punished. Who was punished? Hardworking young people. And when these students raised legitimate questions about education—they were met with batons and detention. The criminals who leaked the papers are free, while the students who raised valid issues are dragged away and beaten."
This government is not just failing the youth—it has turned against them, he said.
Gandhi's remarks came after security forces resorted to a baton-charge near Parliament Street after thousands of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) supporters, protesting against the paper leaks, allegedly tried to breach barricades while marching towards Parliament on the first day of the Monsoon session.
As CJP supporters, including students, marched towards Parliament, the police tried to stop them and used teargas and lathi-charged them.
