Parliament clears anti-paper leak law
The Parliament on Thursday passed the anti-paper leak Act, with the Rajya Sabha giving its nod by a voice vote after a nearly eight-hour-long and heated debate. The Congress and some other Opposition members staged a walkout before voting. The Lok Sabha had passed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill on Wednesday.
Leader of the House JP Nadda termed the walkout irresponsible and said the Opposition had no respect for democracy. With the passage of this Bill, both the houses passed two legislations in the ongoing Monsoon Session.
The Rajya Sabha saw a heated debate on the anti-paper leak law. Moving the Bill, Union minister Jitendra Singh tore into the Congress, saying the current Government had to complete the unfinished task left by the UPA. “Why didn’t the Congress form a national testing body when the UPA was in power? The prime minister today had to complete the UPA’s unfinished task… The UPA in its second term completely ignored a key panel’s inputs to stop exam leaks,” he said, adding the Opposition’s outrage is proof that it is very well aware of the UPA-era exam paper leaks.
Singh said that this Bill is a reaffirmation of the Government’s commitment to safeguard the welfare of the students and youth of this country. He said, under the new legislation, the investigation must be completed within two months and trial within three months after filing the charge sheet.
Initiating the discussion, Leader of Opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge’ questioned the police action on the agitators at Jantar Mantar and demanded that Union Home Minister Shah to clarify on what he alleged was police brutality.
“Home Minister Amit Shah must give an answer on police brutality. Why is he silent on the crackdown? He must clarify. If not, he must resign… Driven by the fear of losing power, the Government conceded to the demands, though its underlying motive was to protect its own position rather than genuinely address the students’ grievances,” Kharge said.
The BJP raised a strong protest against Kharge’s remarks.
He alleged the Bill to amend the law to deal with exam paper leaks had been introduced mainly to defuse the charged atmosphere and pacify students and young people who had taken to the streets.
Kharge said the Government has not explained how it would conduct examinations that could prevent paper leaks. He said that provisions for higher fines, stricter punishment, and fast-track courts would not make any difference in cases of paper leaks. What would make a difference, he argued, is how the Government conducts these examinations.
There was also an uproar in the House after Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge’s remarks on Manusmriti. The slugfest started when Kharge referred to the Manusmriti, saying its elements were entering the school syllabi. He said, it teaches that if a Shudra (untouchable) listens to the Ved, “his ears should be filled with shards,” if he reads the Ved aloud, “his tongue should be cut off,” and if he retains its words “his body should be dismembered”.
His comments drew strong objections and sloganeering from the treasury benches, and Nadda demanded the quotes be authenticated. The Rajya Sabha Chairperson asked what the Manusmriti had to do with the Bill. Nadda said the remarks on Manusmriti would create unrest and asked that only the original text be quoted in the House. Nadda had earlier asked Kharge not to use unparliamentary words.
Kharge also alleged that people associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were heading educational institutions and demanded their removal. He also criticised Union Minister of Home Affairs, Amit Shah for police brutality against the protestors at the Jantar Mantar last week. His remarks triggered strong objections from the treasury benches.
PM Pledges Fair Exams
New Delhi: PM Narendra Modi on Thursday in an Instagram video vowed strict action against paper leak networks, saying no one who compromises students' futures will be spared. In a video message after Parliament passed amendments to the anti-paper leak law, PM Modi called for education reforms across the Union Government and States to tackle the menace.
