LoP Mallikarjun Kharge slammed the govt's Anti-Paper Leak Bill in Rajya Sabha, alleging it was brought in haste to defuse student protests. He said the bill lacks the intent to address the root causes of recurring examination paper leaks.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday alleged that the government brought the Anti-Paper Leak Bill in haste and said the legislation lacked the intent to address the root causes of the issue. Further, he said that the bill has been brought to defuse widespread protests by students and not to resolve the problem. The government, he said, moved the bill only after widespread student protests over examination irregularities and that it has not stated how it proposed to prevent similar leaks of exams in the future.

'Lacks Intent to Solve Problem': Kharge on Bill

Kharge launched the debate in the Upper House of Parliament on behalf of the Opposition in the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026. The Rajya Sabha today took up for consideration and passing the Bill, a day after it was passed by a voice vote in the Lok Sabha during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament.

Beginning his remarks with a poem, Kharge said, "Paper churane wale bachte rahe, mehnat karne wale pit te rahe. Ye kaisa nyay?" and alleging that the government had ignored demands for a strong law on paper leaks in 2024.

Initiating the debate on the Bill in the Rajya Sabha, Kharge said the Opposition had demanded a strong law on paper leaks in 2024, but the government did not accept the demand at that time. He said the amendment Bill was welcome, but "the intention to solve the problem" was missing and it appeared aimed at calming the prevailing situation.

Kharge said, "We had demanded a strong law in 2024, but the government did not accept our demand. You brought the Bill in haste when elections were approaching." He added that while the Opposition welcomed the amendment Bill, it lacked the intention to address the root problem and was brought only to "cool down the prevailing atmosphere".

Terming the legislation incomplete, Kharge alleged that the government acted only after protests by students intensified. He claimed that the voices of students who had been protesting for months were not heard and questioned the government's response to their concerns.

Questions Govt's Handling of Student Protests

The LoP and Congress leader Kharge also raised concerns over student protests, alleging that their demands were met with police action instead of dialogue. He questioned the government's handling of the issue and demanded accountability over repeated examination-related irregularities.

Raising the issue of student protests against the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, Kharge alleged that peaceful marches were met with police action, including lathi-charge and tear gas. He questioned the accountability for injuries suffered by students during the protests.

Kharge also targeted the government over the absence of senior leaders from the debate, saying that those responsible for law and order should address the concerns raised by students and the public.

During his speech, members from the treasury benches raised objections. Leader of the House J P Nadda urged the Chair to expunge what he described as unparliamentary remarks. Kharge responded that he had not used any unparliamentary language and said the government should clarify its position before the public regarding the events of July 20.

Govt Says Bill Makes Law More Stringent

Union Minister Jitendra Singh moved the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, in the Rajya Sabha after it was passed in the Lok Sabha by a voice vote following an extensive discussion yesterday. The Bill was taken up for discussion in the Upper House.

During his address, Singh said that the Bill is an extension of the earlier bill. He said that there is a deep sense of sensitivity and concern that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has time and again expressed for the youth of this country.

The amendments in the bill reflect the government's willingness to "learn from experience" after the implementation of the 2024 anti-paper leak law, Singh said.

"In the wake of the recent sequence of events, PM Modi lost no time to declare that nobody will be allowed to jeopardise the students' future. There is a zero tolerance policy. This legislation seeks to make the law more stringent. It is my humble request to all leaders in the house to help pass the bill. I know by now most of the content of the bill is known to you," the minister said. (ANI)

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