India, July 22 -- Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday accused the BJP-led Centre of trying to silence protesting youth through police action over alleged examination paper leak cases, reiterating that AAP would continue to support students and farmers. Addressing a press conference here, Mann alleged that repeated examination paper leaks had shattered the aspirations of young people and alleged that the Centre had failed to ensure transparency and accountability in recruitment and examination processes. "They (BJP) make claims of being 'vishwaguru' (world leader), but they cannot conduct one exam properly. I am surprised at this. It is not for the first time that paper leaks have happened.
"Such incidents break the heart of the youth... And when they come to Jantar Mantar (in Delhi) to protest, then they are beaten. Where will they go?" asked Mann, while replying to a question on police action against the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protesters in Delhi seeking resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The Punjab CM claimed that paper leaks had occurred in 2017, 2019, 2022, 2024 and again in 2026, and alleged that those responsible had not been held accountable. Responding to a question on the legal challenge by private school associations against the Punjab government's Ordinance regulating private school fees, Mann said approaching the courts was their legal right but asserted that the state government would not withdraw the legislation. The state government has promulgated an Ordinance capping annual fee hikes at five per cent and directing schools to refund fees collected beyond the prescribed limit over the past three years.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.