NEET row: Dharmendra Pradhan’s scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi, ‘understands maths of unfair…’

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan lashed out at the Congress on Monday amid continued protests against the NEET-UG row. The remarks soon after Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi led a vocal charge against the Narendra Modi-led government in Lok Sabha. Meanwhile the Supreme Court continued hearing a clutch of petitions seeking cancellation, re-test and a court-monitored probe on Monday. Meanwhile top Congress leaders met on Monday to chalk out a strategy for the Budget Session and vowed to raise the issue strongly in the upcoming days. 

“May be Rahul Gandhi understands the fundamentals and maths of unfair practices too well. That explains why Congress govt. failed to implement the bills to stop malpractices in educational institutions, including Prohibition of Unfair Practices Bill, 2010. Can the LoP tell under what compulsions, pressure and for what considerations did the Congress Party refuse to bring laws to curb irregularities?” Pradhan asked. 

A social media post by the senior BJP leader also claimed that the ‘ground reality on paper leaks during UPA regime’ would ‘open a can of worms’ for the Raebareli lawmaker. 

Gandhi had earlier told the Lok Sabha that there was a very serious problem in the Indian exam system and accused Pradhan of failing to take responsibility.

“The minister has blamed everybody except himself. I don't even think he understands the fundamentals of what is going on here... the issue is there are millions of students in this country who are extremely concerned about what is going on and who are convinced that the Indian examination system is a fraud,” the Congress lawmaker said.

If you are rich and have money, you can buy the Indian examination system. As this is a systemic issue, what exactly are you doing to fix this issue at the systemic level?" he asked Pradhan, who was responding to queries during Question Hour.

A visibly peeved Pradhan said it was unfortunate that the member described the examination system as rubbish.

“There is no evidence of paper leaks in the last seven years in any numbers…” he added in response to Congress member Manickam Tagore's assertion that there have been 70 paper leaks in seven years.

(With inputs from agencies)