‘We are proud of you,’ Rahul Gandhi tells students

Rahul Gandhi said the cancellation of the MPSC drug inspector’s exam due to the paper leak is a victory for students who stood firm and demanded action

MUMBAI: Leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi has said the cancellation of the MPSC drug inspector’s exam due to the paper leak is a victory for students who stood firm and demanded action.

LoP in the Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi addresses 'Hara Bhara Swaraj: A Tribute to Rajiv Gandhi's Vision' on the birth anniversary of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, at Jawahar Bhawan, in New Delhi. (X via @INCIndia/PI)

“They endured pressure, listened to taunts, waited for months but never stopped raising their voice. We are proud of all of you,” Gandhi said in a post on social media platform X.

“Until those responsible for the leak are punished, this fight remains incomplete. There are more battles ahead. And in every one, I am with you. We have to fix this entire system, so that education becomes better for every child, and everyone’s hard work is rewarded,” Gandhi added.

The MPSC paper leak had been raised by Sharayu Chopade at Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj (Voice of Students) programme held recently in Pune. Chopade had alleged that the MPSC had denied the leak. “We met the FDA commissioner. The CID is suppressing it. The names of many officers have cropped up,” she had said.

Pawar posted on X that after a paper leak scandal in 1997, the then MPSC chairman was held accountable and sent to jail. “Thirty years later, MPSC has once again been tainted by a paper leak scandal. So why shouldn’t the 1997 test of justice be applied to the current chairman as well?”

He added, “We do not accept MPSC’s conclusion that the leaked paper reached only one student. Rather, this is a massive racket, and the police investigation report must be made public. For that, the chairman’s resignation is essential. If it is not given, a movement will be launched through students on September 1.”

MPSC chairperson Vivek Bhimanwar did not respond to attempts to connect him. Mahendra Harpalkar, MPSC secretary, said, “We have suspended three employees, who have been arrested in the case. We are also providing the documents required for the case.’’

Meanwhile, BJP MLA Abhimanyu Pawar has urged chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to order a thorough investigation into exactly how the question paper had leaked, how it reached the candidate concerned, and how many candidates it had reached. “The chief minister has assured that strict action will be taken against those responsible,” Pawar said.