India

Kejriwal: Students Want Pradhan’s Resignation, Not Fast-Track Courts

Kejriwal claims youth anger is aimed at education minister, questions Centre’s focus on special courts

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday called out the Prime Minister for attempting to divert attention from the recurring paper leak crisis and the youth protest by announcing fast track courts instead of addressing the students' core demand for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation. Questioning the government's response, he emphasised that no announcement has been made to restore students' confidence that future examination papers will not be leaked. 

The AAP Chief also argued that despite the existence of numerous fast track courts across the country, many either do not function effectively or take even longer than ordinary courts, calling the Prime Minister's statement an attempt to shield Dharmendra Pradhan.

Referring to PM Narendra Modi's post on ‘X’ on Thursday, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal said, "The Prime Minister has said that fast track courts will be set up to secure convictions in paper leak cases. But Prime Minister, this is not what the students asked for, nor was it their demand. It appears as though you are trying to fool the students."

He added, "There are already many fast track courts in this country. There are fast track courts for rape cases, for POCSO cases and for several other kinds of matters. But hearings do not take place in them. In many fast track courts, cases take even longer than in ordinary courts.”

“So it appears that you are still trying to cover up the issue and are still making every effort to protect Dharmendra Pradhan. The students demanded Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not say a single word about that,” he asserted.

Speaking about the police action against the youth protesters, the AAP Chief emphasised, "Students suffered head injuries, their legs were broken, they were lathi charged, tear gas shells were fired at them and they were subjected to brutal attacks, because of which many of them are admitted to hospitals. I visited Jantar Mantar and saw all this myself, and I met many of the students there.”

He pointed out, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not express even a single word of sympathy for them. You post on X whenever anything happens anywhere in the world. Are these children not your children? Do you not feel even the slightest compassion for these students on whom you ordered such brutal action?"

Arvind Kejriwal further said, "The students are saying that papers are leaked every year. Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not announce a single change in the system that would give students confidence that next year's NEET examination, or any other examination, will not be leaked. This means the government has no vision. You have no vision.”

He concluded by stating, “Papers will continue to leak next year in exactly the same way because you are making no changes at all. The NEET paper will be leaked again next year, and students will once again die by suicide. Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's post on ‘X’ appears to be that of a defeated, directionless and arrogant person.”

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