Kharge demands Parliament speech on paper leaks

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s midnight video on exam paper leaks and urged him to make a formal statement in Parliament so assurances can be scrutinised by the House. He insisted that any authentic commitment must come on the parliamentary floor, not via a late-night video, and pressed for the dismissal of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and an apology to students, with accountability for those who used force on protesters. Modi, in a video message, said the Union Cabinet would discuss and finalise a bill next week with provisions for fast-track courts and stringent punishment, to be introduced during the ongoing Monsoon Session. Rahul Gandhi joined Kharge in attacking the PM for sidestepping Parliament, describing the midnight address as an attempt to bypass democratic debate. Kharge reaffirmed that the PM should speak in Parliament when it is in session and that any bill should be prepared in the Cabinet before introduction, while also calling for a thorough discussion on the education system.