Congress Says PM Chose ‘Victim Card’ Instead of Apologising to Protesting Students
Opposition accuses Prime Minister of deflecting criticism, seeks accountability over paper leaks and crackdown on demonstrations
New Delhi, Aug. 1: The Congress on Saturday launched a fresh attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of avoiding accountability over the police action against student protesters and the controversy surrounding examination paper leaks. The party said the Prime Minister should apologise to the country’s youth instead of portraying himself as a victim.
The remarks came after Prime Minister Modi, in an Instagram video released on Friday, said he had forgiven the young people who allegedly used abusive language against him during recent demonstrations. Referring to the protesters as “misguided children”, he urged society to guide the youth rather than remain divided by anger and confrontation.
Reacting sharply, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh alleged that the Prime Minister was attempting to shift the focus away from issues raised by protesting students. He claimed the government’s response had ignored the concerns of young people who were demanding transparency, accountability and justice.
The Congress leader argued that students across the country had faced uncertainty due to repeated examination irregularities and paper leak controversies. He also criticised the handling of demonstrations, alleging that police action against protesters had caused unnecessary hardship and trauma.
Ramesh further said the Prime Minister’s social media outreach could not substitute answers to the questions being raised by students and opposition parties. According to him, the government should address concerns over examination reforms and alleged excesses during protests rather than engage in political messaging.
The Congress also renewed its criticism of the National Testing Agency (NTA), alleging that repeated paper leak incidents had affected the future of lakhs of aspirants. The party maintained that the government must take responsibility for restoring confidence in the examination system.
In addition to the student protest issue, the opposition leader referred to other controversies, including demonetisation and matters related to the Ram Mandir Trust, claiming the Prime Minister owed explanations on several public issues.
The BJP has consistently defended the government’s handling of student demonstrations and examination reforms, maintaining that necessary measures are being taken to strengthen the integrity of competitive examinations while ensuring law and order.
