‘If Modi government is right, debate student agitation in Parliament’: Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to debate the NEET question paper leak and the continuing student agitation in Parliament.

Launching the Congress’s election campaign at Ramlila Maidan in Haldwani, Kharge outlined how the central government was suppressing young people protesting against repeated examination paper leaks and recruitment irregularities.

He said students were increasingly frustrated by compromised examinations but faced a repressive response when they gathered at Jantar Mantar to raise their demands.

Kharge rejected the government’s allegation that the Opposition was responsible for disruptions in Parliament, pointing out that the ruling party itself had prevented debate on issues affecting students.

“If you are right, hold a debate in Parliament on the students’ agitation,” he said, directing his challenge at Modi and Shah.

The Congress president said party workers would not be intimidated and remained committed to protecting the Constitution, democracy and the rights of students, women and economically disadvantaged communities.

Referring to Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, Kharge said the march had been undertaken to defend constitutional values and democratic institutions.

He also targeted the Centre over unemployment, recalling the BJP’s 2014 promise to generate two crore jobs annually.

“How many jobs did the youth get?” he asked. Kharge said that nearly 30 lakh government posts remained vacant across the country and questioned how India could become a developed nation without creating sufficient employment.

He said the Congress had a clear plan for employment and development and promised to strengthen merit-based recruitment to government posts if the party returned to power.

Praising the potential of Uttarakhand’s young people, Kharge referred to Ravi Tamta, a young inventor from Almora who, he said, had independently designed a flying car.

Turning to corruption, Kharge said the BJP was inducting opposition leaders whom it had previously targeted over graft allegations. He invoked the polular “washing machine” meme, recalling how politicians facing accusations were absolved after joining the ruling party.

Kharge contrasted the records of the two parties, highlighting legislation such as the National Food Security Act and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act introduced under Congress-led governments.

He also recalled the agricultural loan waiver of around Rs 62,000 crore announced during former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s tenure, claiming that the BJP lacked a substantive plan for farmers, the poor and young people.

Invoking the anniversary of the Quit India Movement, Kharge alleged that the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh had made no contribution to the freedom struggle but were now questioning the Congress’s patriotism.

He also attacked the Uttarakhand government over the condition of roads and other governance issues, claiming it had failed on all fronts. Kharge predicted that public dissatisfaction would help the Congress form the next government in the state.

Ahead of the rally, Congress leaders and workers staged a protest outside the office of the Senior Superintendent of Police in Haldwani. They alleged that buses and other vehicles carrying party supporters were being stopped and checked to prevent them from reaching the venue.

Uttarakhand Congress president Ganesh Godiyal and Leader of the Opposition Yashpal Arya joined the demonstration.

Arya accused the police administration of acting as an “agent of the government” and claimed that unnecessary vehicle checks were being conducted to obstruct Congress workers.

Haldwani MLA Sumit Hridayesh made similar allegations during a Facebook Live broadcast. He accused Nainital SSP Manjunath TC of stopping vehicles carrying people to Kharge’s rally and warned that the party would launch an agitation against the police’s conduct.