Varun Gandhi slams BJP government over unemployment, paper leaks
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Varun Gandhi on Thursday attacked the central and Uttar Pradesh governments over several issues including unemployment and frequent exam paper leaks. Both the governments are led by his own party. His criticism comes in the wake of cancellation of the Uttar Pradesh Teacher Eligibility Test (UPTET) after an alleged leak of question paper. Here are more details on this.
Why does it matter?
This is the sharpest attack by a BJP leader on the UPTET paper leak controversy. Gandhi has lately been critical of his party and the governments led by it over several issues. He had earlier voiced support for the farmers' protest against the Centre's agricultural laws and demanded action against Union Minister Ajay Mishra whose son has been arrested for allegedly killing protesting farmers.
'How long should the youth of India wait?'
"First, there is no government job. Even if some opportunity comes up, the paper gets leaked. If you appear for the exam, there is no result for years. And then it is canceled due to some scam," Gandhi tweeted on Thursday. "1.25 crore youth are awaiting the results of Railway Group D exam for two years...How long should the youth of India be patient?"
Gandhi calls for action against 'education mafia'
"UPTET exam paper leak is like playing with the future of lakhs of youth. Action on small fish of this swamp will not work. Government should take strict action against the education mafia and their political patrons," Gandhi had tweeted soon after the paper leak.
What is the UPTET paper leak issue?
The UPTET 2021 examination was canceled after the question paper was allegedly leaked on online platforms. The test was meant for recruitment of teachers in primary and junior government schools across Uttar Pradesh. Around 13 lakh candidates were expected to appear for the exam. A Special Task Force (STF) is investigating the matter and 29 people have been reportedly arrested.
Gandhi was recently dropped from BJP body
Gandhi had raised eyebrows after criticizing the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case where eight people, including four protesting farmers, had died. Soon after, he and his mother Maneka Gandhi were dropped from a top decision-making body of the BJP.
