Kharge: BJP govt failed accountability test by not seeking Pradhan's resignation

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has accused the BJP government of failing its first test of accountability by not seeking the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan following numerous exam irregularities. Kharge criticized the government's actions, including the temporary blocking of the Telegram app ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-exam scheduled for June 21.

Kharge stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should first demand Pradhan's resignation, alleging that the minister has "blocked the futures of millions of youth." He highlighted a series of paper leaks affecting exams such as NEET, SSC, UGC-NET, CUET, and even the UPSC, claiming that 90 such incidents have occurred in the past decade, impacting 9 crore students.

The Congress leader further alleged that the government is trying to cover up its failures by apprehending minor figures while protecting the "paper leak mafia." He pointed out that the credibility of the UPSC exam has also come under question.

Kharge asserted that the youth of the country are demanding Pradhan's resignation as a crucial measure of accountability, a demand he believes the BJP government has failed to meet. The Congress party has been consistently calling for Pradhan's resignation over the NEET paper irregularities, other exam leaks, and the CBSE on-screen marking controversy.

In parallel, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is set to begin addressing student conventions across the country from June 17 in Kota, aiming to rally students against the Modi government concerning the issue of paper leaks.