Bhubaneswar, July 19: Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Odisha Assembly and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik on Sunday demanded that the paper leak issue be debated in Parliament and also urged the Centre to engage in a meaningful dialogue with students protesting against the NEET paper leak case.
Taking to his X handle, Patnaik on Sunday wrote, “For millions of children in our country, education remains the only path to a brighter future. Every developed nation is built upon a strong education system and a transparent, credible examination process. India too has made remarkable progress because of the strength of its education system.”
He further added that this education system has nurtured generations of brilliant doctors, scientists, engineers, teachers, and innovators who have shaped modern India. In view of the recent incidents of question paper leaks in the country, Patnaik said, however, that trust in this system now stands broken.
“The damage goes far beyond a failed exam. It shatters faith in the very foundation of education system. It tells deserving students that hard work no longer matters, and robs them of their only ladder out of poverty,” stated Patnaik.
He further stressed that a nation that compromises the integrity of its examination system compromises its own future. The LoP underscored that this grave issue, affecting millions of students across the country, must be taken up in Parliament as the highest priority.
Patnaik stated that the issue deserves a thorough debate in Parliament, the temple of democracy, leading to concrete reforms that ensure paper leaks, flawed assessments, and systemic failures are never repeated. He said that accountability must also be fixed for this lapse of trust.
“Politics aside, I urge the government to initiate a meaningful dialogue with the students who have been peacefully protesting for days. They must be given a platform to express their views. A vibrant democracy advances through dialogue, not silence – and this dialogue is most vital when it involves the youth of the nation. The children and young people of India are looking to us for leadership. We cannot fail them,” the BJD president urged.
“Sincere, open-minded dialogue with the peaceful youth protestors will help restore faith in our democracy, in our education system, and in the leadership entrusted with shaping their future,” he added.
Expressing the regional party’s support for the protest, Patnaik stated that BJD stands firmly with the country’s youth and students.
–IANS
