Kharge Slams BJP For Branding Students As Deep State Agents, Pakistanis

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the Centre amid the ongoing controversy over alleged irregularities and growing concerns in the CBSE evaluation process, claiming that students raising concerns were being labelled as “Deep State Agents” and “Pakistanis” instead of being heard.

In a post on X, Kharge claimed that both CBSE students and NEET aspirants had become victims of what he described as the government’s failures in the education sector.

“They set out to create ‘Exam Warriors’, but instead branded them as ‘Deep State Agents’ and ‘Pakistanis’. Whether it is 17-year-old CBSE candidates or NEET aspirants, the Modi government has trapped the nation’s youth in the web of its corruption, conspiring to dismantle the country’s education system,” said Kharge.

The Congress chief alleged that institutions which once played a key role in nurturing talent were now facing decline under the BJP-led government.

“There was a time when IITs, IIMs, Central Universities, and National Institutes used to build the nation’s talent. Now, due to the BJP’s plunder, we are unable to conduct even a single Board Examination properly. Such is the state of affairs they have brought us to,” said Kharge.

Kharge further accused the government of weakening educational institutions and curbing student voices. He alleged that the UGC had been “ruined”, politics of vendetta had been unleashed in universities, history had been removed from NCERT textbooks, and appointments of vice-chancellors had been ideologically influenced.

He also said that more than 90,000 government schools had been shut and that education budgets had been reduced over the years.

“Look at any institution–They ruined the UGC; Unleashed politics of vendetta in JNU and Central Universities; Wiped out history from NCERT textbooks; Suppressed the voice of students in universities and crushed their movements; Ideologically hijacked the appointment of Vice Chancellors; Shut down more than 90,000 government schools; And slashed the education budget year after year,” said Kharge.

Continuing his attack, the Congress president alleged that whenever young people protest or raise issues, their voices are suppressed and they are targeted with baseless accusations. He further accused the BJP of failing to generate employment opportunities and mishandling recruitment examinations. Reiterating the Congress party’s demand, Kharge called for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

“Whenever the youth takes to the streets, Whenever Gen Z raises its voice… Every single time, their voice has been suppressed, Baseless allegations have been hurled at them, And they have been thrown behind bars! The BJP did not provide jobs, They lined their own pockets through recruitment exams, And completely ruined the education system!! I am reiterating once again– Seek the resignation of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan… Only then, Modi, will the youth get real justice,” said Kharge.

His remarks come amidst the ongoing row related to the irregularities and discrepancies found in the evaluation of CBSE Class 12th answer sheets. (ANI)