BJP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha on Thursday broke his silence over the nationwide protests against paper leaks, saying he had deliberately refrained from commenting until the government was ready with a concrete solution. Speaking during the debate on the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, Chadha said his role had changed after moving from the Opposition to the treasury benches.
The former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, who joined the BJP three months ago, said he was aware of questions surrounding his silence on the NEET controversy but believed delivering results was more important than making headlines.
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“When I was in the Opposition, questions were my weapon. Today, I sit on the treasury benches, so finding a solution is my responsibility,” Chadha told the Rajya Sabha. He added that while he could have addressed the media regularly, he preferred to wait until Parliament debated legislation aimed at tackling paper leaks.
Calling the passage of the amendment bill a “historic day,” Chadha said the Centre had introduced systemic reforms in response to students’ concerns. According to him, the government treated the issue as a genuine concern rather than a political challenge.
The 37-year-old MP also criticised opposition parties for allegedly politicising student protests. He argued that paper leaks were not confined to any one state or political party but represented a nationwide organised crime that required institutional action. Citing alleged examination irregularities in Punjab and previous incidents under Congress governments, Chadha said students across the country deserved equal attention regardless of which party was in power.
He further remarked that student movements should not become platforms for political parties to expand their social media reach, saying the focus must remain on securing fair and transparent examinations.
The Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, was passed by Parliament on Thursday after receiving approval in the Rajya Sabha through a voice vote, despite a walkout by several Opposition parties.
A day later, Chadha shared a clip of his parliamentary speech on social media, writing, “Cancer is not cured by Crocin. Paper Leak is not cured by soundbites,” while describing the legislation as India’s first institutional response to the growing problem of examination paper leaks.
