Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday launched a strong attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his remarks on youth welfare, accusing the Centre of failing to address concerns raised by students over alleged examination irregularities. Kharge demanded the removal of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and alleged that the government had mishandled protests by young people demanding accountability. Kharge’s remarks came after Prime Minister Modi said that protecting the future and interests of the country’s youth was the government’s top priority.

The Prime Minister had also announced that fast-track courts would be set up to ensure strict action against those accused in paper leak cases. Reacting to the statement, Kharge accused the government of making promises instead of addressing the concerns of students. In a post on X, he said the education system had weakened under the current administration and alleged that young protesters had faced excessive use of force during demonstrations against examination-related issues. "Look into the eyes of youth who bled," Kharge said while criticising the government’s response to the protests.

He alleged that students had been subjected to police action, including the use of force, and questioned the government’s approach towards those raising concerns over the examination system. The Congress president also reiterated the party’s demands, including the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, an apology from the Prime Minister over alleged police action against protesters and justice for those who claimed they were affected during the demonstrations.

AICC general secretary K C Venugopal also criticised the Prime Minister’s remarks, describing them as an "eyewash". He alleged that the government’s statements did not address the core concerns of students and accused the Centre of avoiding accountability over examination-related controversies.

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The Congress has been targeting the government over allegations of irregularities in national-level entrance examinations, including concerns raised by students and opposition parties regarding paper leaks. The party has argued that such incidents affect the careers of millions of young aspirants and require stronger accountability measures.

The government has maintained that it is committed to protecting students’ interests and strengthening the examination system. Officials have said that investigations are underway into reported irregularities and that strict action will be taken against individuals found responsible.

The political exchange between the Congress and the BJP comes amid continuing protests in Delhi over examination issues. Student groups have demanded reforms to ensure transparency and prevent future disruptions, while the government has highlighted measures aimed at improving the credibility of competitive examinations.

With both sides maintaining their positions, the issue of examination reforms and youth concerns continues to remain a major political debate. The opposition has intensified its criticism of the government, while the Centre has defended its actions and promised further steps to address concerns among students.

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