Mumbai, July 24 (IANS) The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) on Friday said that following nationwide outrage and escalating protests regarding the NEET examination paper leak, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has finally broken his silence on the issue.
Addressing the growing public anger, PM Modi stated that the interests and future of the nation’s students remain the government’s top priority and assured strict action against those responsible. “No individual playing with the future of students will be spared,” the Prime Minister asserted, promising the setup of fast-track courts to ensure swift justice and stringent punishment for the culprits.
However, the party, in an editorial in its mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, sharply criticised the timing and mode of the Prime Minister’s announcement, noting that PM Modi chose to post his statement on social media platform ‘X’ rather than addressing Parliament or directly engaging with the protesting students.
The editorial said the announcement comes amid intense demonstrations led by students and environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi over the past two months. Protesters have faced police lathi charges while demanding accountability and systemic reform in the national examination system. “Protesting students have dismissed PM Modi’s assurances as a mere “bandage on a paper leak” and termed the promises of fast-track courts as “empty rhetoric”, it added.
“Had the PM demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan before announcing fast-track courts, his promises might have carried weight. Instead, none of this transpired, leaving his statements looking like mere “castles in the air”. The scepticism of the protesting students is justified; no one is confident the Prime Minister will deliver on his promise. Throughout his 12-year tenure, he has either maintained silence on critical national issues or undermined his own assurances,” commented the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena.
According to the editorial, critics and opposition voices have highlighted that despite reports of 152 paper leak incidents over the past decade during the Modi administration without significant action, it was only the 153rd leak — and the resulting nationwide fury — that forced an official reaction. The editorial raised several critical points regarding the administration’s handling of the crisis.
“The Prime Minister failed to demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who holds primary responsibility for the ministry. While promising strict action against perpetrators, the administration has simultaneously imposed the National Security Act (NSA) in Delhi to curb demonstrations, drawing sharp criticism over its handling of public dissent,” said the editorial.
The editorial remarked that as public dissatisfaction grows over the ruin of millions of students’ and parents’ aspirations, critics are not sure whether these commitments will result in concrete reforms or simply remain unfulfilled promises.
–IANS
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