PM should make elaborate statement on Manipur in Parliament: Kharge
New Delhi (PTI): Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday demanded that the prime minister make an elaborate statement in Parliament on the Manipur situation, saying he could have dismissed the state chief minister instead of making "false equivalence" with Congress governed states if he was angry over the matter.
The Congress has demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi must make a statement in both houses of Parliament followed by a discussion on the situation in Manipur.
Opposition parties have stepped up their attack on the government over the Manipur violence, especially after the video of two women being paraded naked and assaulted by a crowd in a Manipur village, went viral on social media.
"Narendramodi ji, You did not make a statement inside Parliament, yesterday. If you were angry then instead of making false equivalence with Congress governed states, you could have first dismissed your Chief Minister Manipur," Kharge said on Twitter.
"INDIA expects you to make an elaborate statement in Parliament today, not just on one incident, but on the 80-day violence that your government in the state and the Centre has presided upon, looking absolutely helpless and remorseless," the Congress chief also said. Modi on Thursday said the incident of women being paraded naked in Manipur has shamed 140 crore Indians, asserting that law will act with its full might and no guilty will be spared.
Both houses of Parliament did not transact any business on Thursday as the opposition was unrelenting on its demand for a statement from the prime minister on the Manipur violence.
Manipur is burning. Women are raped, naked, paraded and horrific violence is taking place.
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) July 20, 2023
But the Prime Minister has kept quiet for so long.
Today, after so much outrage, he gave a statement outside the Parliament.
We want a detailed discussion on Manipur and PM Modi should… pic.twitter.com/oeuCxG72Az
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Karnataka urges Centre to scrap NEET-UG from 2026, restore state powers to conduct CET
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government on Saturday reiterated its demand before the Centre to scrap the NEET-UG examination from the academic year 2026 onwards and restore the powers of states to conduct their own transparent and merit-based Common Entrance Tests.
State Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil, in a statement, emphasised that Karnataka has a long-standing legacy of administering fair, transparent, student-friendly and merit-oriented entrance examinations through the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA).
He noted that the CET system in Karnataka has for decades enabled lakhs of deserving students, especially from rural, middle-class and economically weaker sections, to secure professional education opportunities based on merit, hard work and academic consistency.
The minister said the Karnataka CET model has been widely appreciated for its transparency, accountability and efficient conduct, helping meritorious students shape their future with confidence and instilling faith among the younger generation in the integrity of the education system.
He said the NEET experience over the past several years has raised serious concerns across the country.
According to him, repeated allegations and incidents of question paper leaks, impersonation, organised cheating rackets, manipulation, technical irregularities and lack of adequate accountability have severely damaged the credibility of the examination process conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
Pointing to recent controversies surrounding NEET examinations, the Minister said these issues have caused stress, uncertainty and mental trauma among students and parents. Repeated reports of malpractice expose the inability of central agencies to ensure a completely fair and foolproof examination system at the national level.
He added that confidence among students in the integrity of the examination process has been deeply shaken.
Stressing that medical education is a critical sector that determines the future healthcare strength of the country, Patil said admissions must be based on a system that is transparent, corruption-free and sensitive to regional and educational diversity.
He said a centralised examination model that repeatedly faces allegations of irregularities cannot be imposed on states that have demonstrated efficient and credible examination mechanisms.
The minister also highlighted that Karnataka’s CET system has successfully balanced merit with accessibility and ensured fair opportunities for students from all sections of society.
Patil said the state government has already written to the Government of India seeking the abolition of NEET and permission to conduct admissions through the Karnataka CET system.
He urged the Union government to respect the federal structure of the Constitution and allow states to conduct entrance examinations through credible agencies such as KEA.
Restoring the CET system would protect students’ interests and rebuild public confidence in the admission process, Patil said.
The minister reiterated that the state government will continue to pursue the matter in the interest of students, parents and the future of medical education in Karnataka.
