"Big win for student power...": Rahul Gandhi after UP govt cancels police constable exams

New Delhi [India], February 24 : Amid the police constable recruitment exam leak allegations, the Uttar Pradesh government cancelled the exam following which Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday termed the cancellation of the recruitment exam by the state government as a "victory" of youth unity and student power and said that those who "unite" will win while those who "divide will be crushed."
The Uttar Pradesh government on Saturday cancelled the recently held police constable recruitment examination following allegations of question paper leak and ordered a re-test within six months.
The development came amid massive protests by candidates over allegations of a paper leak. The exam was held on February 17 and 18, with two shifts per day.
"Big victory for student power and youth unity! The Uttar Pradesh Police Exam was finally cancelled. The message is clear - no matter how much the government tries to suppress the truth, our rights can be won only by fighting unitedly," Gandhi said in a post on X.
"Those who unite will win, those who divide will be crushed," he also said in his post in Hindi on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the police constable recruitment exam was cancelled as the government had to bow before the power of youth.
"Till yesterday, people sitting in the government were making statements in an attempt to deny the paper leak. When their lies could not stand before the power of the youth, the examination was cancelled today," she said in a post in Hindi on X.
"Leaking of papers of every examination in UP is not only proof of the corruption prevalent in the BJP government, what is more serious is the careless and misleading attitude of the government," she said.
Escalating his attack on the ruling BJP, Vadra said they never accepted earlier that the paper was leaked.
"The result is that those who spearheaded the paper leak are roaming free. The entire incident shows that the BJP government is not serious about the future of the youth, but about saving its image and the examination mafia," the Congress general secretary said in her post.
"The government should announce the new date as soon as possible and ensure that the paper will not be leaked this time," she said.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav said that he met a few students who demanded exams to be conducted again as it did not happen in the way it should.
"From Moradabad to Agra, everywhere students are seeking the cancellation of examinations. There is a long list of paper leaks in the state but the government is doing nothing...In 2018, a UBPCL paper was leaked, UP SSC paper and UP Forest Guard papers were also leaked and many others... I want to ask what is the state government doing?" Akhilesh said.
Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai demanded a probe and action should be taken.
"All the exams that happened, paper leaks have happened. Why this happened? There should be a probe and action should be taken...this is the reason why youth are going towards the path of drugs...this is the impact of Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra that they (UP govt) had to cancel the UP Police constable civil police exams cancelled," Rai said.
Apna Dal Kamerawadi MLA Pallavi Patel said that the decision by the state government is incomplete adding that the six-month period is not reliable.
"This decision is incomplete. A six-month period is not reliable... Justice delayed is justice denied. The candidates should be allowed to give a re-exam with the same admit cards, within the next 15 days or before the Lok Sabha elections notification," she added.
Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications, Jairam Ramesh said that the impact of the (UP) paper leak issue raised by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi in 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' has been seen.
"The impact of the (UP) paper leak issue raised by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi in 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' has been seen. The exam has been cancelled. The journey continues to provide justice to all," he added.
Moreover, Satyarth Anirudh Pankaj, DIG of Uttar Pradesh Police Recruitment and Promotion Board said that the exams will be conducted soon by Uttar Pradesh Police Recruitment and Promotion Board.
"Uttar Pradesh Government has decided to cancel the examinations of all the shifts of 17th February and 18th February to maintain the credibility and transparency of the information and representations regarding unfairly telecasting the examination before the scheduled time. The exams will be conducted soon by Uttar Pradesh Police Recruitment and Promotion Board. The date of examination will be published on our website," DIG of Uttar Pradesh Police said.
Candidates in Lucknow celebrate as CM Yogi Adityanath announces cancellation of UP Police constable civil police exams 2023 and orders conducting of re-examination within next 6 months.
The candidates of the UP Police constable exam danced in joy as the exam was cancelled by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Mayank Sachan from Kanpur said, "I express gratitude to CM Yogi Adityanath that he fulfilled our demand. Within the next two months, we will show them that the youth is with them...They have saved our lives. Candidates were dying by suicide.'
Hundreds of candidates danced and celebrated in Lucknow. Some even thanked Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for cancelling the exam. Some of the candidates were protesting at Eco Garden after reports of a paper leak.
The Uttar Pradesh government led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath earlier today announced the cancellation of the police constable recruitment examination held on February 17 and 18. Chief Minister Adityanath in a post on X, said that the state government has ordered to conduct the re-examination for the same within six months.
"UP Police constable civil police exams 2023 cancelled, orders given to re-conduct the exams within next six months," Yogi said.
He further said that strict action would be taken against those who would be found guilty in the alleged paper leak.
"There can be no compromise with the sanctity of examinations. Those who play with the hard work of the youth will not be spared under any circumstances. Strictest action is certain to be taken against such unruly elements," the Uttar Pradesh chief minister said.
More than 48 lakh candidates appeared in the examination conducted across the state on February 17 and 18.