CHANDIGARH: Two of the three living Param Vir Chakra winners – Honorary Captains Bana Singh and Yogendra Singh Yadav – have spoken up in favour of students who are demanding accountability in the NEET paper leak. Both of them feel govt should open a dialogue with the protesting youngsters rather than lathicharging them.“Some battles are not won by force,” Singh, the Siachen hero, told TOI on Tuesday.“Agg lage baarish nahi paindi te na hi paini ae (Rain does not start falling simply because a fire has already broken out). These children are the nation’s future. They should be heard, not met with lathis or violence,” the 77-year-old war hero said, urging govt to talk and not let the crisis escalate.“Those are not just students standing there – they are the future of our country,” Singh added.Singh said, “Tomorrow, they may wear the uniform of officers, defend the nation. Respect their voices, because the hands holding books today will carry India’s responsibility tomorrow.”Yadav — the youngest PVC winner and the tiger of Tiger Hill — told TOI he understands the pressures of the youth of the country as he has worked extensively with children for the last four years, and applauds them for their patriotism.As a patriot himself, he stands with the youth, he said. Drawing an analogy between governance and family, Yadav asked a question that cut to the heart of his argument: “If the children of a house are upset, isn’t it the father’s duty to sit down and talk to them?”The two bravest of the braves, who have stared death in the eye and didn’t flinch, said democracy is strongest when conversation replaces confrontation.Singh, who was awarded the Param Vir Chakra for the capture of a strategically situated post at 21,000 feet in Siachen in June 1987, said he has been following the developments surrounding the protests. Calling the paper leak a serious issue, Bana Singh said it was not merely an administrative failure but a crushing blow to the morale of lakhs of students who prepare for competitive examinations with dedication.“A paper leak is a very big thing. Students work hard for years but it all goes to waste and their morale suffers. Govt must remain alert so that such incidents do not happen,” he said.Asked about the students’ demand for the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Singh reiterated that dialogue should be govt’s first response. “Students’ concerns should be heard and discussed. Problems do not get resolved on their own once a crisis has erupted,” he said, appealing to students to ensure their protests remain peaceful.Yadav, whose bravery in the fight for Tiger Hill is the stuff of legend, said courage also lies in listening. “It lies in guiding. And, above all, it lies in trusting India’s youth,” he said, adding that govts must engage with young people. “If they (protesters) are angry, govt should address their grievances. We are a democracy,” he said.Yadav sees student demonstrations as evidence of a generation that still deeply cares about India. “There is courage in the youth. They have immense patriotism and love for the nation. We must give them the right direction at the right time,” he said.He believes the frustration visible on the streets stems from deeper structural problems in education, from paper leaks to unemployment and an education system that, in his view, rewards degrees without equipping students with practical skills.“India’s youngest citizens are not the problem,” he insists.” They are the nation’s greatest hope.”
