- AIMIM’s Owaisi criticised government’s accountability, neglecting student concerns.
- Congress’s Tharoor saw leaks as systemic flaws, urged prevention.
- Government asserts Bill strengthens legal framework combating organised leaks.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor launched separate attacks on the Centre during the Lok Sabha debate on the Anti-Paper Leak Bill on Tuesday, arguing that the proposed amendments fail to address the root causes of examination leaks. While Owaisi accused the government of lacking accountability and failing the country’s youth, Tharoor said paper leaks reflected deeper structural flaws in the examination system and warned that stricter punishment alone would not solve the problem.
Owaisi Questions Govt
Opposing the Bill, Owaisi began his speech with a couplet before expressing solidarity with students whose futures had been affected by repeated paper leaks.
He accused the Narendra Modi government of treating young people harshly and claimed it had become disconnected from their concerns. Questioning the effectiveness of stricter penalties, Owaisi argued that increasing fines and prison terms would not end paper leaks unless accountability within the system was strengthened.
He alleged that investigating agencies had not been empowered sufficiently to act against those responsible for leaking examination papers. Owaisi also criticised the use of Indian Air Force aircraft to transport NEET examination papers, saying it was unfortunate that such extraordinary measures had become necessary for conducting a national examination.
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Tharoor Calls For Prevention
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said paper leaks were not isolated incidents but symptoms of deeper structural weaknesses in the examination system.
He argued that the government’s priority should be preventing leaks rather than merely punishing offenders after the damage had been done. Referring to provisions in the Bill, Tharoor noted that it proposed completing investigations within two months and trials within three months through special fast-track courts.
However, he questioned whether the country’s judicial system had the capacity to meet such ambitious timelines in practice.
The government, on the other hand, maintained that the proposed law would create a stronger legal framework to crack down on organised paper leak networks and protect the interests of students across the country.
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