"Govt trying to suppress matter instead of fixing responsibility": Congress' Sachin Pilot slams BJP over NEET irregularities

"The BJP government has become uncomfortable with the questions raised and facts presented by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and instead of fixing responsibility, the government is trying to suppress the matter," he added.

Ahead of the re-examination of NEET, Sachin Pilot, General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) and Congress leader, on Thursday, targeted the central and state governments, stating that instead of fixing responsibility, the government is trying to suppress the matter. Addressing the media during a press conference, Pilot said, "Millions of students appear for a crucial exam like NEET and crores of rupees are spent on it, yet complaints of continuous paper leaks and examination-related irregularities are surfacing."

"The BJP government has become uncomfortable with the questions raised and facts presented by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and instead of fixing responsibility, the government is trying to suppress the matter," he added. He further said that not only NEET, but also other exams, including CBSE, have also been affected.

"There is a need for serious discussion on the role of private institutions in the education system and their accountability." Pilot also mentioned that a large number of students participated in the student dialogue program held in Kota under LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's mega rally, "Echo of Students", and demanded reforms in the examination system.

Turning towards the issue of the Pachana Dam dispute, Pilot said that the government should take the initiative and establish a dialogue between the concerned parties. "It is the state government's responsibility to establish a dialogue with all parties and ensure compliance with court orders. All regions need water, and people have faith in the judiciary. In such a situation, the government should play an active role and prevent any kind of ethnic or caste tension."

He alleged that the government has failed to take any solid steps in this matter for the last two and a half years, and immediate action is now required. Pilot also raised questions on the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) recruitment process, saying that complaints of irregularities in the interview process have been surfacing regularly.

He alleged that pressure is put on officials; therefore, the selection process should be made entirely merit-based. He noted that several states have already discontinued this process. Pilot asserted that mere speeches will not suffice. He questioned the government as to why the "big crocodiles" (influential people) mentioned in connection with recruitment scams are still out of the reach of legal action, and who the people behind them are--this must be revealed.

Meanwhile, reacting to reports of the rebellious stance of six MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray faction (UBT) in Maharashtra and news of them potentially joining the NDA, Pilot said that the BJP is busy serving its political interests by breaking political parties. "The BJP wants to create a numerical strength of its choice in Parliament so that it can pass bills according to its will... The BJP is busy serving its political interests by breaking political parties," he said. (ANI)