The Delhi unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged a protest outside the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) office in the national capital on Thursday, demanding the immediate dismissal of Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains. The demonstrators cited alleged examination paper leak incidents in Punjab and accused the AAP of hypocrisy and double standards on the issue.
Information was available with The Chenab Times indicating that the protest, led by East Delhi MP and Delhi BJP President Harsh Malhotra, saw the detention of several BJP workers by the Delhi Police. They were taken to Mandir Marg Police Station and released approximately an hour later.
The demonstration was joined by senior BJP leaders including MPs Yogendra Chandolia, Kamaljeet Sehrawat, and Bansuri Swaraj, alongside Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal. Office-bearers and workers from various BJP wings, including the Yuva Morcha, OBC Morcha, and Purvanchal Morcha, also participated.
Allegations of Double Standards
Addressing the gathered protesters, Harsh Malhotra asserted that the AAP, which had vocally demanded accountability from the central government concerning paper leaks at the national level, had remained conspicuously silent on similar alleged incidents occurring within Punjab.
Malhotra alleged, “When the issue of paper leaks arose at the national level, AAP demanded the resignation of the Union Education Minister and spoke of morality and accountability. But after multiple alleged paper leaks in Punjab, including the Punjab Teacher Eligibility Test, the Class XII English examination, and recruitment examinations, the party has chosen to remain silent.”
The Delhi BJP president further demanded the immediate removal of Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, stern action against all individuals implicated in the alleged leaks, and a public apology to the students of Punjab. He critically commented that the AAP’s much-touted “education revolution” in Punjab had seemingly transformed into a “paper leak revolution.”
Threat of Intensified Agitation
During the protest, Malhotra stated to reporters that the BJP workers had assembled to remind the AAP of its previous stance on paper leaks. He warned that if the Punjab Education Minister was not removed from his post, the BJP would escalate its agitation, expanding its protests beyond Delhi and into Punjab itself.
Lok Sabha MP Yogendra Chandolia echoed the sentiment, alleging that while the national opposition had aggressively highlighted the issue of paper leaks across the country, it had deliberately avoided discussing the purported examination irregularities in Punjab. He also criticized AAP leaders for their silence, particularly in light of their repeated claims of transforming the state’s education system.
MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat contended that Punjab had been plagued by numerous paper leak incidents over the past four years, significantly impacting the future prospects of countless students. She claimed that despite these recurring issues, the state government had persisted in denying any wrongdoing.
Accusations of Hypocrisy
Bansuri Swaraj, another MP present, accused the AAP of hypocrisy, pointing out that the party had opposed the anti-paper leak legislation introduced by the central government while simultaneously failing to take decisive action concerning the alleged leaks within Punjab. She reaffirmed the demand for the Punjab Education Minister’s resignation.
Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal directed her criticism towards AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, alleging his failure to take action despite prior acknowledgements of a paper leak by the Punjab government. She questioned the party’s silence on the matter and demanded accountability from its leadership.
The BJP stated that its protest was strategically aimed at exposing what it characterized as the AAP’s “double character.” The party further warned that its campaign would continue unabated until concrete action was taken against those allegedly responsible for the recurrent examination paper leaks in Punjab.
The Chenab Times News Desk