Goalpost being moved to keep pressure on till upcoming UP polls

New Delhi, July 27 (AHN) The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has systematically addressed the NEET paper leak crisis through structural reforms, a stringent anti-malpractice law, fast-track courts, and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, yet the Opposition continued its Parliamentary blockade on Monday, at the beginning of the second week of the ongoing Monsoon Session.

This persistent disruption continued even as the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, was being tabled around noon on Monday in the Lok Sabha to tackle cheating and paper leaks.

Even as high-decibel slogans echoed in the House, several members from the Opposition Benches were seen trying to move closer to the Speaker’s Chair.

Through the protests has emerged an apparent camaraderie between Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, who is spearheading the Opposition charge, and Akhilesh Yadav.

The bonhomie is being widely seen as bonding an electoral consolidation between the Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP) leaderships, targeting the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

As is evident, behind it lies the state election equation which is visible within Parliament and outside on-the-street coordination between the Congress leader and the SP chief being heavily dictated by the upcoming political calculations.

Having tasted success in the previous arrangement, the duo views the student agitation as a potent instrument to re-energise their cadre. Thus, by marching together, courting detentions near high-security zones, and staging joint protests, Yadav is closely tailgating Gandhi to solidify a consolidated anti-incumbency narrative in India’s most populous state.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, SP contested 61 seats, and the Congress 17.

Among the rest two seats, one each went to allies like Jan Adhikar Party and the Trinamool Congress. Of these, Akhilesh led his party to a 37-seat win, up 32 in the previous result, while the Congress gained five seats over its lone victory of 2019.

However, in Assembly elections, the SP has significantly been way ahead in terms of number of seats when contesting on its own than in alliance with the Congress.

From a dismal show of 47 seats out of the Assembly’s total strength of 403 in 2017, the tally rose to 111 in the last state election.

For the Congress, the respective numbers fell from seven to two. Yet, riding high on the 2024 Parliamentary results, the two leaders appear intent at giving the alliance another shot.

While building up the aggression, the Opposition has agreed to disagree with any initiative taken by the Centre since the examination lapses came into focus.

Even as the Education Secretary was replaced to enforce institutional responsibility, taking political ownership, then-Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stepped down from the Union Council of Ministers, fulfilling the core demand.

Pradhan’s resignation was the principal demand made by the protesting students as well as the Opposition Benches. The former Education Minister took the decision by himself, as reported later.

Meanwhile, a task force with an expert panel was constituted to further look into the issue even as dedicated fast-track courts were initiated to guarantee time-bound trials within months rather than years.

On Monday, a more stringent and expanded Public Examinations Act was being introduced when the uproar forced the Speaker to call an adjournment. Again, riding high on Pradhan’s exit, Rahul Gandhi continues to move the goalpost, expanding the confrontation to unrelated political grievances, institutional sweeping statements, and general law-and-order friction.