SP MP Ramgopal Yadav slammed the govt's handling of the NEET-UG leak, questioning why laws failed. He also stated his party opposes hunger strikes. Activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26-day fast after receiving a written assurance.
Senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Ramgopal Yadav on Friday raised sharp questions regarding the government's handle on the NEET-UG paper leak controversy, questioning the effectiveness of existing laws and enforcement agencies.
Speaking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's video message regarding the paper leak, the SP leader questioned why previous legal frameworks failed to prevent the irregularity. "Wasn't there already a law to punish those who commit this crime? Who is the agency enforcing this? Has action been taken against anyone? The CBI gave the link to the kingpin of this NEET leak yesterday," Yadav said while addressing reporters.
'Samajwadi Party never supported hunger strikes'
The SP MP's remarks come amid a heated political atmosphere over the conduct of national-level entrance examinations, with the opposition repeatedly accusing the Centre of failing to protect the interests of students. When asked about social activist Sonam Wangchuk ending his hunger strike, Ramgopal Yadav clarified his party's ideological stance on such forms of protest, citing the principles of socialist icon Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia. "The Samajwadi Party never supported hunger strikes. Dr. Lohia always opposed it. When people insisted, you could have a phased hunger strike. One person would sit for 24 hours, then another person would sit for 24 hours... but a continuous hunger strike was never our way," Yadav stated.
On the ongoing dialogue between the government and protesting students, despite the government scheduling a meeting with student representatives today, Yadav said that the opposition remains dissatisfied with the current state of affairs. "There was a meeting yesterday as well, so the opposition is still opposing what is happening," he added.
Sonam Wangchuk Ends 26-Day Hunger Strike
Meanwhile, Wangchuk on Friday ended his 26-day-long hunger strike after receiving a written assurance from the Union Government regarding the NEET examination issue and systemic reforms in the country's competitive testing framework. Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike in the presence of Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh at Medanta Hospital. In a video message shared on X, Wangchuk informed that Nadda and Singh visited him to provide the necessary guarantees. Wangchuk further revealed that while verbal assurances were offered earlier, he insisted on a formal document, leading to a two-day delay in ending his protest. (ANI)
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