Rahul Gandhi criticises Telegram curbs, urges targeting of paper leak networks

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday criticised the temporary restriction on the messaging app Telegram, imposed by the government ahead of the NEET-UG re-examination, arguing that the move hurts students more than it addresses the problem of question paper leaks.

In a post in Hindi on the social media platform X, Gandhi compared the restriction to locking a victim's door instead of catching the thief. He said lakhs of students use Telegram for study resources, test series, and discussions, and that removing the facility is not a solution to paper leaks. He questioned whether WhatsApp would be the next target.

Gandhi also took aim at examination security measures, describing them as theatrics. "On exam day, students will be frisked. Pockets will be cut open with scissors. Question papers will be sent via the Air Force," he wrote. He added that such steps do not strike at the "disease" because the paper leak mafia operates under the government's watch, causing distress to youth.

The former Congress president further alleged that the government has failed to address systemic issues, citing the recent deaths by suicide of two students, Umesh in Rajasthan and Riya in Uttarakhand, who were under pressure from the re-examination. He held the central government and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan responsible for shielding paper leaks and mismanagement.

Gandhi announced that he was travelling to Kota to begin a campaign, stating that the pain of every family would be heard as the 'chhatron ki goonj' (echo of students). Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra supported his remarks, saying there is a need to reform the entire examination system.

The government had temporarily restricted access to Telegram from June 16 to June 22, with the National Testing Agency (NTA) stating that the measure aims to prevent cheating and misinformation during the NEET-UG retest. NTA Director General Abhishek Singh said all possible actions would be taken to ensure the examination is free of malpractice.

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov criticised the restriction, calling it a mistake that penalises over 150 million ordinary users in India. He argued that the ban would not affect the insiders responsible for the leaks.

The controversy comes in the wake of earlier paper leak allegations that prompted the re-examination. The government has maintained that it is committed to ensuring fair exams, while opposition parties have called for a thorough investigation into the leaks.