**Agartala, July 4:** The Tripura Pradesh Youth Congress on Saturday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for praising Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan at a time when the latter is facing criticism over the alleged irregularities in the NEET examination.
Addressing a press conference at Congress Bhavan in Agartala, Tripura Pradesh Youth Congress president Neel Kamal Saha said the Prime Minister’s remarks had hurt the sentiments of lakhs of students and their families who have been demanding accountability over the alleged NEET paper leak controversy.
Saha alleged that over **2.2 million students** were affected by the controversy and claimed that several students had faced severe mental stress following the examination irregularities.
“At a time when students across the country are seeking justice and demanding accountability, the Prime Minister’s praise for the Education Minister is unfortunate. We strongly condemn these remarks,” Saha said.
He claimed that demands for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had been raised across the country, with Congress leaders staging protests and hunger strikes in New Delhi. Despite the criticism, Saha alleged, the Prime Minister publicly appreciated Pradhan’s performance before departing on an overseas visit.
The Youth Congress leader urged the Central Government to take responsibility for the alleged lapses in the examination system and ensure justice for students whose future had been affected by the controversy.
He also called for greater transparency in the conduct of national-level competitive examinations and measures to restore students’ confidence in the system.
Meanwhile, Tripura Pradesh Congress spokesperson Prabir Chakraborty criticised the BJP-led state government over what he described as the deteriorating healthcare system in Tripura.
He alleged that public health services in the state were facing multiple challenges and accused the government of failing to provide adequate medical facilities to the people.
The Congress leaders said both the alleged irregularities in national examinations and shortcomings in the state’s healthcare system reflected governance failures that required urgent attention. They urged the Centre and the state government to address these issues in the larger public interest.
