Chandigarh, July 26: As the political fallout from the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak continues, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal has escalated her attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab, demanding accountability for what she calls a series of examination scandals in the state.
Her criticism comes after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned, a move celebrated by protesters but which has now turned the spotlight onto the Punjab government.
The “Double Standards” Argument
Ms. Badal has accused the AAP of hypocrisy, highlighting what she perceives as a stark contrast between its vocal support for students protesting in Delhi and its inaction at home. She termed the AAP’s stance in the national capital as “crocodile tears” while there has been “zero action” in Punjab.
In a pointed social media post, she questioned the priorities of AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, even sarcastically suggesting that activist Sonam Wangchuk be made Punjab’s Education Minister, implying that current minister Harjot Singh Bains has failed.
Allegations of Systemic Failure in Punjab
The core of Ms. Badal’s argument rests on a series of alleged recruitment scams that have occurred under the AAP government’s watch. She has cited:
- The Naib Tehsildar recruitment exam.
- The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) English paper leak.
- The Agriculture Officer recruitment examination.
- The recent Baba Farid University of Health Sciences pharmacist recruitment exam, which she claims involved a sophisticated cheating syndicate charging candidates between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 13 lakh.
She has also accused the state government of using force against protesters in Punjab, contrasting this with the solidarity shown to students in Delhi.
The AAP’s Defense and Political Pressure
The AAP has strongly denied these allegations. Party spokesperson Baltej Pannu asserted that not a single recruitment exam paper has leaked in Punjab under CM Mann’s leadership. He clarified that the Faridkot incident was a case of cheating using electronic gadgets, not a paper leak, and that action was taken immediately.
However, this defense has done little to quell the political storm. The opposition, including the Congress and BJP, has seized upon the Union Minister’s resignation to demand similar accountability in Punjab. Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa and Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring have both called for the resignation of Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, arguing that there cannot be “two yardsticks for the same issue”. Delhi Cabinet Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa has also demanded a time-bound investigation and accountability in Punjab
The controversy has become a major flashpoint, with the opposition using the momentum from the national protests to challenge the AAP’s governance record in Punjab and demand that the “buck stop” with the state leadership.
By Vijay