Now BJP demands Punjab education minister's resignation

Political tensions between India's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have escalated after the opposition demanded the resignation of Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, following the recent resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The fresh political confrontation comes after Pradhan stepped down amid nationwide protests over the alleged NEET examination paper leak.

Following the development, the BJP has intensified pressure on the Punjab government, alleging repeated irregularities in state recruitment and board examinations.

BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari questioned when AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal would seek Bains' resignation on "moral grounds".

The BJP alleged paper leaks in the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) Class XII English examination, the Punjab State Teacher Eligibility Test (PSTET) and the Agriculture Development Officer recruitment test.

It also accused authorities of irregularities, including fake names in merit lists for several recruitment examinations.

Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring echoed the allegations, claiming six major examination scandals had occurred in the state over the past four years and demanding accountability from the government.

Rejecting the accusations, the ruling AAP described them as "baseless" and "fake".

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann insisted that no paper leak had taken place during the last four and a half years, asserting that only isolated attempts at cheating had been detected and swiftly dealt with.

AAP leader Baltej Pannu said candidates using digital devices during one examination were immediately caught and legal action was taken, stressing that no question paper had been leaked.

He further accused the BJP and Congress of reviving false allegations to divert attention from controversies during their own tenures.