Pune: Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) president and former Union minister Sharad Pawar on Saturday clarified that he personally met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to facilitate dialogue between protesting students and the government, emphasising that the outcome of those discussions was visible in the Centre’s response.
He, however, strongly criticised the government’s heavy‑handed handling of the agitation at Jantar Mantar.
Speaking at a press conference, Pawar said the struggle forced the government to accept moral responsibility by standing firm against injustice without bowing down to oppression.
“This is a massive victory for the unity of the nation’s youth power. I express my gratitude to all Opposition MPs for providing moral support to the country’s youth in this manner,” he stated.
He noted that paper leaks severely impact the lives and futures of countless students. Elaborating on behind‑the‑scenes developments and his meeting with the Prime Minister, Pawar said the younger generation expressed their sentiments before the country’s leadership with peace and patience, and it yielded results.
“I personally met the Prime Minister and requested him that dialogue is essential in a democracy, warning that a lack of dialogue carries serious consequences,” he said.
Pawar added that he also spoke with protest leaders, assuring them that if the government was ready to talk, they should not avoid dialogue either.
“I advised Prime Minister Modi accordingly, and fortunately, he was ready to engage in discussions. As a result, the outcome of my talks with Narendra Modi is visible today,” he remarked.
Addressing the harsh actions taken by the Delhi Police against the protesters, Pawar said, “I congratulate the younger generation once again. However, when handling the youth, it would have been much better if measures like lathi charges and tear gas had been avoided.”
While commending the victory of the youth, Pawar criticised the government’s initial response.
“The outcome is commendable, but the situation would have been handled much better had the authorities avoided using tear gas and lathi charges against young citizens,” he added.
Earlier, in his post on X, Pawar said the struggle and determination shown by the youth over 28 consecutive days at Jantar Mantar in Delhi in the NEET paper leak case was truly commendable.
He described the fight as a symbol of the power of democracy and credited the young generation for compelling the government to accept moral responsibility.
(IANS)
