There comes a time in governance when restraint must give way to resolve. The Narendra Modi-led NDA government appears to have reached that point. Its decision to support a probe into allegations surrounding the recent Jantar Mantar protests is not merely justified, but necessary. No democracy can afford to be naïve when genuine public grievances are allegedly sought to be hijacked for political or extraneous purposes. The NEET question paper leak is a serious issue. It concerns the future of lakhs of hardworking students whose dreams cannot become collateral damage in political battles. The guilty, irrespective of their political affiliations or positions, must be identified, prosecuted and punished. There can be no compromise on that count. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have assured the nation’s students that those responsible for examination paper leaks will face stringent punishment through fast-track judicial mechanisms and stronger legal provisions. The government must now ensure that these assurances translate into time-bound justice and institutional reforms. However, there is another equally disturbing question that deserves answers. When protests over examination irregularities suddenly acquire political slogans, when Parliament is repeatedly disrupted despite the government’s willingness to debate the issue, and when allegations of foreign funding and extremist sympathies begin surfacing, the matter can no longer be viewed merely through the prism of student unrest. The Delhi High Court agreeing to hear a PIL seeking an NIA probe only underlines the seriousness of the allegations. Delhi Police have already registered multiple FIRs based on video footage, eyewitness accounts and social media material relating to the protests. Let the investigations proceed unhindered and let the truth prevail. If the protests were entirely genuine and spontaneous, why should anyone fear an impartial investigation? Transparency cannot become selective. One cannot demand accountability from the government while opposing scrutiny of one’s own conduct. Those opposing the probe must answer a simple question. If there is nothing to hide, what is there to fear? It is rather ironic that political parties demanding transparency in the NEET paper leak matter appear uncomfortable when transparency is sought regarding allegations surrounding the protests themselves. Democracy cannot operate on selective morality.
Equally disappointing has been the conduct of the Congress-led Opposition in Parliament. After repeatedly demanding a discussion on the issue, it chose disruption over debate even after the government agreed to discuss the matter. Parliamentary democracy cannot function if disruption becomes the preferred political strategy irrespective of the government’s response. The Opposition certainly has every right to question the government. But rights come accompanied by responsibilities. Its constitutional role is not merely to oppose, but also to participate constructively in nation-building. Political amnesia too seems rather convenient. Question paper leaks are unfortunately not a recent phenomenon confined to any particular government or political dispensation. They have occurred across States and under governments of different political hues over several decades. That is precisely why the present crisis demands institutional reforms rather than political opportunism. The greatest tragedy would be if Bharat’s students become unwilling participants in somebody else’s political project. Young minds preparing for competitive examinations deserve solutions, not slogans; reforms, not rhetoric; and justice, not political theatre. The government’s decision to support an investigation into allegations of foreign funding or unlawful influences behind the protests must therefore be welcomed. If the allegations are baseless, the investigation will conclusively establish that fact. If they are true, those responsible must face the full force of law. Either way, the nation benefits from the truth. The Modi government has taken the right decision. It is now time for the Opposition to take one as well—allow Parliament to function, participate in meaningful debate and contribute constructive suggestions that can permanently strengthen the integrity of Bharat’s examination system. Our students deserve nothing less. And our democracy certainly deserves much better than disruption masquerading as dissent.
