NEET row: Rahul Gandhi doing petty politics, alleges BJP

The BJP on Thursday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of indulging in petty politics over alleged irregularities in NEET as it asserted that the Centre is looking into the matter “very sensitively” and justice will be done with every student who appeared for the medical entrance test.

The ruling party also alleged that the Congress is trying to mislead the country by spreading lies on the issue “under a conspiracy” to discredit the government’s efforts made to streamline the examination system and also to divert the “link” of its ally RJD with the prime accused arrested in connection with the NEET “paper leak” case in Bihar.

The BJP’s charges came after Gandhi on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Centre over the alleged irregularities in NEET and cancellation of UGC-NET and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has “psychologically collapsed” post-elections and will struggle to run a government like this.

Hitting back, BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi termed Gandhi’s remarks as “sad” and said the Congress leader is playing politics on the issue as he has nothing to do with the future of the students.

“The government is fully sensitive and alert with regard to the NEET exam. It is also committed to ensure that no student faces any injustice and strict action is taken against those involved (in paper leak),” he told a press conference at the BJP headquarters here.

“But the opposition leader, Rahul Gandhi, who could not pass even with third division in his third attempt and got just 100 seats (in Lok Sabha polls) is trying to declare himself leader of the bright students,” he charged, adding that after Gandhi’s press conference it became clear that there is no “seriousness and maturity” in the character of the Congress.

Meanwhile, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha claimed that the arrested prime accused in the NEET “paper leak” is linked to officials associated with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, and demanded an investigation into it.

Hitting out at Gandhi, another BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said while paper leaks were regular phenomena during the Congress-led UPA regime, the Modi government brought reforms and streamlined the examination system after 2014.

“And when the system is moving forward in such a manner, Rahul Gandhi comes and indulges in petty politics on such a serious and sensitive issue of education,” he charged.