Chandigarh: Former Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar on Thursday urged students protesting over the NEET paper leak to remain vigilant against “political exploitation”, alleging that the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party were trying to hijack the movement for political gains.Invoking the legend of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, Jakhar described students as “the nation’s wealth” and cautioned them against “being led astray”. He urged the protesters to choose dialogue with the Centre to ensure their movement was not diverted from its original purpose.Referring to AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal’s presence at the protests, Jakhar said people should remember what happened to Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement, where “others benefited politically while Hazare himself was sidelined”. He said activists Sonam Wangchuk and Abhijeet Dipke should not meet a similar fate.Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon said the Centre had made it clear that students remained its highest priority. He termed the decision to hold a fast-track trial in the NEET paper leak case a historic step to ensure strict punishment for those responsible.Dhillon alleged that despite the Centre’s measures, the Congress, AAP and other Opposition parties continued to exploit students to revive their “sinking political fortunes”.Jakhar said the BJP understood the concerns of students and noted that the Prime Minister had announced a fast-track trial in the paper leak case. He claimed the Centre was willing to discuss the issue with students and in Parliament, but accused the Opposition of disrupting proceedings despite the government’s readiness for a debate.Highlighting the Centre’s education initiatives, Jakhar said the number of medical colleges had increased from 387 in 2014 to 823, IITs from seven to 23, and medical seats from 51,000 to 1.36 lakh. He also cited higher allocations for education, Mudra loans and education loans as evidence of the government’s commitment to students.
