PM Modi emphasised ‘safety, security and future of the youth’, said Rijiju

NEW DELHI: PM Modi Tuesday said govt is taking measures to make the exam system “foolproof” and called for shunning partisan politics over paper leaks that have surfaced in several states and under different dispensations, sending out a message of firm intent to end the menace amid attempts by the opposition to seize the issue to corner the Centre.“Safety, security and future of the youth is our priority”, parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju quoted PM as telling the meeting of the NDA parliamentary party. PM’s address at the meet – a regular affair during Parliament sessions – was focused on youth and paper leaks.“Govt will spare no means to ensure stringent punishment to the accused behind NEET paper leak. Those responsible will not be spared,” he quoted Modi as saying.‘Dhurandhar lawyers must ensure punishment for paper-leak accused’PM Modi also emphasised that gangs involved in paper leaks have been active in many states — in what was seen as a reference to leaks happening over a period of time in states — as the Prime Minister highlighted the arrests of NEET-UG paper leak accused, the medical entrance test being held again and declaration of results without delay.The PM also referred to enactment of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, by his govt — the first central law of its kind — to deal with the menace of paper leaks.PMModi said states and Centre should join hands to ensure not only strict punishment to the guilty, but also to rule out such an incident (NEET-UG paper leak) in future, parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju, quoting from the PM’s speech made at the closed-door meeting.“Dhurandhar” lawyers should see to it that the accused are punished and do not go scot-free, he said, according to some MPs present in the meeting, in what some saw as a reference to the presence of several well-known advocates in opposition’s ranks who regularly appear for anti-govt activists.Modi dwelt at length on the contribution of the youth in leading India’s growth in different sectors.“PM spoke about the country’s youth and that they should get correct guidance. He also shared experiences of the youth who have made the country proud not just nationally but also internationally,” BJP ally and Union minister Chirag Paswan said.The PM asked MPs to inform people about the achievements of Indian startups, noting that French President Emmanuel Macron was impressed with their work when he was in the country recently.He repeated his jibe at the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, who is 56, while referring to the average age, 28, of people at Skyroot Aerospace behind the recent successful launch of a rocket. “If they have done so well at 28, imagine how much they will achieve when they reach 56,” the PM said.