Rahul Gandhi slams centre over Telegram ban, says ‘Target Mafia, Not Students’

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has strongly criticized the Centre’s decision to temporarily block Telegram ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination, accusing the government of penalizing students instead of taking action against those responsible for exam-related fraud.

Reacting to the move, Gandhi urged the government to focus on dismantling cheating networks and alleged paper leak mafias rather than restricting access to a communication platform used by millions.

The government had imposed a temporary ban on Telegram until June 22, citing concerns that the platform was being used by rackets to spread fake question papers and misinformation ahead of the NEET re-test scheduled for June 21.

Authorities said the measure was necessary to ensure the integrity of the examination process following the paper leak controversy.

Rahul Gandhi, however, questioned the effectiveness of the ban, arguing that students should not bear the consequences of administrative failures.

He claimed that repeated exam irregularities reflected deeper issues in the system and called for stronger action against those involved in organized cheating operations.

The controversy has sparked a wider political debate over exam security and the government's handling of the NEET paper leak issue.