"Biggest paper leak racket operating within BJP": Sanjay Raut slams Centre

New Delhi [India], July 28 (ANI): Launching a sharp attack on the Central government over the newly introduced anti-paper leak Bill, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday alleged that the "biggest paper leak racket" operates within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), asserting that merely passing a law will not resolve the issue.
Speaking to ANI in the national capital, the Rajya Sabha MP called the proposed legislation "the same old bill" with steeper penalties, pointing out that students have already staged massive demonstrations.
"There will certainly be discussions regarding the anti-paper leak issue, but the world's largest protest against paper leaks took place at Jantar Mantar in India. Now, a new bill has been introduced. Modi ji seems to think he has achieved a monumental feat," Raut said.
"It is the same old bill. All that has changed is that the prison term has been increased from one year to ten years, and the fine raised from ₹1 crore to ₹10 crore," he said.
Raising questions over appointments in premier educational bodies, Raut alleged, "The biggest paper leak racket is operating within the Bharatiya Janata Party. The individuals arrested in Maharashtra in connection with the NEET paper leak are all affiliated with the BJP. You are the ones who appoint the Vice-Chancellors. Your people occupy positions on the major education boards, such as those overseeing NEET, so they collude to carry out these activities, and they will continue to do so. Merely introducing a bill will achieve nothing."
Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh on Monday introduced the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha.
Meanwhile, the Congress party has lined up top leaders, including Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, KC Venugopal, and Gaurav Gogoi, to address the Lok Sabha here on Tuesday on 'The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026', according to INDIA bloc sources.
The Lok Sabha is likely to begin the debate on the anti-paper leak Bill at 2 PM.
While signalling a readiness to participate in parliamentary deliberations over the anti-paper leak legislation, the Opposition underscored that its participation remains contingent on central assurances regarding recent law enforcement action against protesting students.
"We are neither against the paper leak bill nor discussion on it; we fully support any move to strengthen exams, but we need an answer on pellet guns and excessive use of force against protesting students," an INDIA bloc source stated.
The discussion follows Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's allocation of dedicated parliamentary time to deliberate on the proposed legislation aimed at curbing examination malpractices nationwide. (ANI)