New Delhi, May 16 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has criticised the Congress, accusing it of playing politics with the academic futures of twenty-two lakh students across the country.

Highlighting the ongoing controversy surrounding the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), BJP National Spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari on Saturday asked the Congress to "stop politicising" the actions of Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and instead focus on its own historical shortcomings regarding national examinations.

Taking to his official X account, Bhandari challenged the Congress to answer for its past record on major academic scams.

He pointed out numerous high-profile examination paper leaks and scandals that took place under previous Congress administrations, specifically referencing the "All India Pre-Medical Test leaks, Staff Selection Commission scams, and Central Board of Secondary Education paper leaks".

He also noted that multiple recruitment scams had repeatedly occurred in states ruled by the Congress.

Bhandari claimed that the people have not forgotten how "the name of Rajasthan Congress President Govind Singh Dotasra was linked to past examination paper leak scandals", accusing the current Congress leadership of continuing to provide patronage to those involved.

In stark contrast, the BJP spokesperson defended the performance and integrity of the current BJP administration.

He emphasised that the Narendra Modi-led Union government responded with swift accountability following the emergence of irregularities in the NEET-UG 2026 examination.

Bhandari said that the NEET examination was cancelled quickly to protect honest students, and an immediate re-examination was scheduled for June 21 without placing any additional financial burden on the aspirants.

He further credited the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for publicly addressing the issue and accepting institutional responsibility, while noting that the investigation was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation immediately.

Detailing the law enforcement action taken so far, Bhandari listed the arrests of key individuals, including alleged mastermind PV Kulkarni and Biology lecturer Manisha Mandhare.

He added that various operations have led to the apprehension of related operatives from multiple locations, including Jaipur, Gurugram, and Nashik.

Bhandari also said that the Union government is neither executing a cover-up nor maintaining silence, but is rather taking decisive action.

He added that the Narendra Modi government stands firmly in support of honest students over political opportunists and exam mafias.

/IANS