New Delhi, July 28 — Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday asserted that the country's youth had demonstrated their ability to make the government respond to public demands, saying the recent student movement over examination irregularities compelled the Centre to concede several demands.

Participating in the debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha, Akhilesh Yadav, referring to the recent protests against the alleged NEET paper leak, said the government's initial approach had reflected arrogance before it eventually gave in to public pressure.

"We were watching the protest. The government was arrogant in the belief that it would not bow down. After the win, youngsters raised a slogan -- 'sarkaar jhukti hai, jhukane wala chahiye' (The government yields; it just takes someone to make it yield). The youngsters know how to make the government yield," he said.

He claimed the Centre had eventually accepted several demands raised by the protesters, including the resignation of the then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, but questioned why those commitments had not been formally placed before the Parliament.

"The government had to bow down, and they agreed to make the Minister resign. The government has agreed to several points (presented by the protesters), but we don't know why it is not presenting it before the House," he said.

On the reception accorded to Pradhan in the Parliament after his resignation, the SP chief said his party had no objection to the welcome but remarked that the resignation had shifted attention away from larger issues.

"However, how relieved he must be when he got to know what kind of a problem he diverted. They removed a Pradhan to save Pradhan Mantri," he quipped.

Congratulating the younger generation, particularly Gen Z, Akhilesh Yadav said the students' unity and determination had succeeded where, according to him, the government's political campaigns had failed.

"Who knows how many crores they (the government) spent on their negative politics. However, I would like to thank the new generation for their morale and unity; the way they campaigned, the government had to bow down," he said.

He further expressed hope that the government would implement all the demands raised by the protesting students.

Referring to the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), which spearheaded the protests, Akhilesh Yadav said the movement, despite beginning as a satirical campaign, evolved into a serious nationwide agitation that compelled the government to permit demonstrations.

"The movement, which started as a 'joke', became so serious that the government became democratic and allowed them to sit on dharna."

Drawing parallels with earlier protests, the Kannauj MP recalled the farmers' agitation, arguing that governments tend to accept demands only when they come under sustained public pressure.

"We have also seen times where they were not allowed to sit on dharna. For years and years, people sat on dharna; their voices were not heard. Delhi was surrounded by farmers once... And the government felt that an election was coming; then the government took back all three black laws. When the government gets panicked, gets scared, then it accepts (the demands). That is why that slogan often comes to my mind -- 'The government yields; it just takes someone to make it yield'," he added.

Questioning the necessity of introducing amendments to the anti-paper leak legislation, Akhilesh Yadav said the government had already enacted a law in 2024 and asked why examination papers were still leaked in 2026.

"It's not like just 1-2 papers were leaked. This was a movement where not only students, but parents also joined. If we consider that 20 lakh children wrote the exam, and we add their family members to it- grandparents, parents, and any family member- then 5 crore people were affected... But this first movement saw that parents also joined," he said.

Seeking a response from the government, he added, "If I am wrong, let the Home Minister come to the House and clarify."

The Samajwadi Party chief also referred to the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Temple and questioned the government's ability to prevent examination paper leaks.

"How can those who couldn't protect temple donations stop paper leaks?" he asked.

He further pointed out that examination papers had allegedly been leaked even in Uttar Pradesh, the Prime Minister's home state in electoral terms.

"A big state like UP, from where the Prime Minister gets elected, even there, the paper is leaking," he said.

Akhilesh Yadav also questioned the government's decision to outsource functions of the National Testing Agency (NTA), expressing concern over accountability in the examination system.

"I hope you have not mistaken 'accountability' as the ability to fill accounts," he said.

"The Opposition is afraid that the whole government will soon be outsourced. The organisation that must be most trustworthy are also being outsourced," he added.

The SP President also criticised the BJP government over the closure of primary schools, claiming that more than one lakh schools had been shut across the country, including 26,300 in Uttar Pradesh. He also questioned why examination papers for Classes 10 and 12 continued to be leaked despite existing laws.

In conclusion, Akhilesh Yadav compared the police action during the recent student protests in Delhi with the Emergency, alleging that the use of tear gas and force against demonstrators reflected a similar atmosphere of suppression.

"I have not seen the Emergency, but Delhi witnessed similar injustice during the recent protests," he said.

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