The youth movement has proved that the government can be made to bend: Akhilesh Yadav

Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav said in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday that the recent movement by youths against paper leaks has proved that the government can be made to bow down.
Participating in the discussion on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, Akhilesh Yadav said that the youths have given a befitting reply to those who claimed that the government does not bow down in any matter. He said that the youths have proved that the government does bow down, it just needs to be made to do so. He added that when the government gets scared, it is forced to bow down. He said that this was also seen in the farmers' movement and now the same reality has emerged from the youths' movement.
He questioned why the details of the talks between government representatives and youths are not being placed before the House.
Akhilesh Yadav said, "Due to the youths' movement, 'Pradhan ji' (Dharmendra Pradhan) was removed and the Prime Minister was saved." He alleged that the government spent thousands of crores on negative politics but failed to stop paper leaks. He said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) does not make promises but only gives "jumlas". He expressed hope that the government will accept the demands of the youths.
The SP president said that not just one student is affected by paper leaks, but the entire family suffers. That's why in this movement of youths, parents of students also participated in large numbers, and it was the first such movement where entire families were involved.
He said sarcastically, "Those who could not stop the theft of secret donations from the court of God, how will they stop paper leaks?" He added that stealing secret donations in the name of God is a "maha paap".
Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav criticized the government in the Lok Sabha, saying that it is trying to deceive the public. He claimed that during the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, 20 major exam papers have been leaked, while in Uttar Pradesh, instances of paper leaks occur almost every year.
He said that a large number of employees in the National Testing Agency (NTA) are working on an outsourcing basis. The appointment of outsourced employees in such an important institution raises questions about the government's accountability. He asked who is ultimately responsible.
Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the government does not want children from poor families to get an education. According to him, the government started its attack on the education system from government primary schools, as these schools have children from Dalit, backward classes, and poor families. He claimed that these schools are being closed to deprive them of education.
He said that more than one lakh government schools have been closed across the country, while in Uttar Pradesh alone, 26,386 government schools have been closed. He added that secondary schools are also being closed, and there is large-scale corruption in the recruitment process for higher education.
He alleged that major educational institutions are being weakened by appointing only those with a "single mindset". He said that the government has failed to establish new universities, while orders have been given to demolish the private Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur. He asked where the politics of hatred is ultimately taking the country.
Akhilesh Yadav said that earlier, around 80,000 recruitments used to take place in the army every year, but now only 10,000 Agniveer recruitments are being made. He claimed that the government is ending job opportunities for youths, and in such a scenario, where will the youths go for employment.
On Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju's reference to the Emergency, Akhilesh Yadav said that he may not have seen the Emergency era, but he has recently seen the police action against youths, which was no less than an Emergency. He said that the attacks on youths have refreshed the memory of the Emergency.
He said, "If youths get good education and transparent exams, their progress will be ensured. If the intention is clean, the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) will also be transparent."