File photo: Lok Sabha proceedings underway during the Monsoon Session of Parliament
NEW DELHI: The week-long washout of Lok Sabha proceedings gave way to a fiery debate on Tuesday over the bill to make punitive measures more stringent and trial speedier in paper leak cases, as opposition members backed the students’ protests and criticised police’s alleged excesses against the protestors.Speakers from the BJP-led NDA brought up incidents of paper leaks during the UPA’s term and in states governed by opposition parties to emphasise that the menace had persisted irrespective of the party in office, and asserted that the country’s youth believed in PM Narendra Modi’s ability to usher in reforms to end it.Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said Modi must take responsibility for the “injustice” with the youth, and he and home minister Amit Shah should answer as to who authorised the “use” of pellet guns on protestors in Delhi and an AK-47, which relates to an incident in Bihar with state police saying the gun was fired in the air in self-defence, in handling the agitation.Speakers from BJP and its allies acknowledged the concerns of students, and said the fact that govt engaged with them and had come out with a slew of measures underscored its democratic spirit. Students did not join Rahul Gandhi’s protest, some of them pointed out.
Don’t view paper leaks through political lens, says Jitendra Singh
Speaking on the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill as the debate began a little after 2pm, Union minister Jitendra Singh said the “malaise” of paper leaks had affected state-level and national exams irrespective of the party in office and lauded the proposed law as a reaffirmation of govt’s commitment to safeguard students’ welfare. “Government’s intentions are honest and the amendment has been brought with an honest attitude. No member of any party should have any objection to it and if they have, then people will have objections to them,” he said.The minister of state in the PMO said govt had learnt from experience as any responsible govt should, emphasising the more stringent punishment proposed against individuals, organised gangs and entities involved in any paper leak, coupled with provisions for speedy justice.BJP MP Anurag Thakur said paper leak was no less a danger than terrorism and Maoism, as it targeted the youth first. “I want to tell the youth of the country that we will fully cure this disease of paper leaks because Modi govt has given us medicine for all diseases so far,” he said.Amid criticism of NTA, which organises several pan-India competitive exams, including NEET, Singh said back in 1992, a recommendation was first made to govt that there should be a common national testing agency.“Then, in 2010, during UPA govt, there was again a committee which suggested this. I do not know why this was not given due consideration. You must compliment PM Modi and this govt. It has finished an unfinished task which you should have accomplished,” he said.Citing recent paper leaks in Punjab and Karnataka, where AAP and Congress are in office, respectively, besides several other states where opposition parties have held office, Singh stressed that paper leaks should not be seen through a political lens.
