Punjab Assembly Erupts Over Paper Leak Row, Opposition Demands Education Minister’s Resignation
The monsoon session witnessed heated protests as opposition parties accused the Punjab government of failing to curb repeated examination paper leaks.
The Punjab Assembly's Monsoon Session began on a stormy note on Monday as the pharmacy examination paper leak triggered uproar inside the House, with the opposition demanding the resignation of Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains.
Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa accused the state government of failing to prevent repeated paper leaks, pointing out that six such incidents had taken place during the government's tenure—five linked to the Education Department and one to the Health Department.
Referring to recent protests over the NEET paper leak at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, Bajwa questioned whether the Education Minister or the Health Minister would take responsibility and step down.
As the debate intensified, Congress MLAs entered the well of the House, raising slogans such as "Paper Leak Hai Hai" and demanding the minister's resignation. BJP legislators Ashwani Sharma and Sandeep Jakhar also joined the protest over the issue.
Amid the disruption, the Assembly Speaker reminded members that seven days had been allotted for discussion on the matter and urged the House to function according to established rules. However, the continued slogan-shouting forced the Speaker to adjourn the proceedings for 10 minutes.
Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said he was fully prepared to answer every question raised by the opposition, leading to a sharp exchange between both sides.
During the heated debate, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema hit back at the Congress, remarking that "it is the Congress that has leaked in Punjab," claiming the opposition was politically weakened while the government continued to perform effectively.
The paper leak issue has become a major political flashpoint in Punjab, following nationwide protests over examination irregularities. Student groups and political parties have intensified their demands for greater accountability and stronger safeguards to ensure transparency in competitive examinations.
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