AMID the Opposition’s criticism over the violence during the NEET-UG paper leak protest, the National DemocraticAllianceleaderson Tuesday came in support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’sstatement that the Government took swift action over the exam irregularities, asserting that the Centre stands with thecountry’s‘YuvaShakti’ (youth power). During the NDA’s ‘Mangal Milan’programme, PM Modi stated that the issue of paper leaks is “not limited” to a single State or the Central Government;rather,itisa“matter of concernfor the entire nation”, while adding that the Government has acted promptly,resulting in the arrest of 13 individuals related to the case so far. Responding to the same, Union Minister and Republican Party of India (A) chief Ramdas Athawale said: “The Prime Minister has explained about the NEET exam that whatever has happened is not right, and lakhs of students have faced difficulties.

 

Those who have made such an attempt haveall been caught, and they should be punished severely.” “He (Prime Minister) has said that along with the Central Government, it is also the responsibility of the state Governments and their administration to ensure that such instances don’toccur during exams,” Athawale told IANS outside Parliament House. He asserted that the “Government stands with Yuva Shakti”.“We are in the Government due to theyouths. Whatever Lok Sabha Leader of  Opposition Rahul Gandhi is saying is baseless,” the Union Minister added. NCP MP Praful Patel added that Prime Minister Modi“heavily praised”the youth power of India. “To further promote this youth power and keep their future secure, we should take all possible steps. Incidents like NEET and other such events that have occurred should never be repeated; we havetaken aresolvefor this too.

 

The contribution of India’s youth, from space to everyfield, has been greatly praised by PM Modi,”he told IANS. Further,BJP MP Ravi Kishan said: “PM Modi has given abig message that the best legal counsel in the country should be hired to ensurethat all those involved (in paper leaks) are severelypunished so that going ahead no onedares to mess with the future of the children in the nation, just to earnafew lakhs of rupees.” However, AIMIM chief and MP Asaduddin Owaisi questioned theCentre,asking,“What about the students who died? What about those who had to reappearfor the exam but could not secure the same rank? Their timehasalreadybeenlost.What will youdofor them?” This comes aday after scores of students,led by the Cockroach Janta Party(CJP), attempted to march to Parliament demanding theresignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for the May 3 NEET paper leak