BJP asks if Rahul Gandhi will apologise after SC verdict on NEET exam

The BJP on Wednesday accused Rahul Gandhi of fuelling lack of trust in India's examination system following the NEET-UG paper leak at a few places, and asked if he will apologise after the Supreme Court's verdict on the issue.

The court on Tuesday dismissed the pleas seeking cancellation and re-test of the exam, holding that there was no evidence on record to conclude that it was "vitiated" on account of "systemic breach" of its sanctity. The court said the leak occurred in a couple of cities.

BJP leader and former union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad hit out at the opposition, especially Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, following the verdict, accusing him of defaming India's examination globally with his strong words.

His choice of words were violative of Parliament's dignity and the dignity of the office of the Leader of Opposition, a position Gandhi holds, Prasad said.

He also dismissed Gandhi's criticism of the budget as a "kursi bachao budget", saying it was not the BJP's fault if people have repeatedly rejected him and his party in the elections.

Defending the government's action on the NEET row, the BJP leader said the probe in the matter was handed over to the CBI and the candidature of 155 examinees was cancelled.

He highlighted the enormity of the exam, noting that over 23.5 lakh students took it at 4,750 centres across 571 cities.

Gandhi was using words like "fraud" to attack the entire examination and now the court has made it clear that there was no systemic breach in the sanctity of the test, he said.

"Will Rahul Gandhi apologise...," he asked, claiming that paper leaks were rife during the governments led by the Congress.

The Modi government enacted a strong law against paper leak incidents, he noted.