Sharad Pawar Says His Meeting with PM Modi Helped Open Dialogue on Student Protests, Calls Youth Movement a Victory for Democracy

Pune, July 2026 : Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) president Sharad Pawar on Saturday said he personally met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to encourage dialogue between the Centre and students protesting against examination irregularities, asserting that the government’s subsequent response reflected the outcome of those discussions. At the same time, he criticised the authorities for using force against protesters, saying the agitation could have been handled more sensitively.

Addressing a press conference in Pune, the veteran leader said the nationwide movement against alleged paper leaks had emerged as a powerful example of democratic participation and youth unity. According to him, the sustained protests compelled the government to acknowledge its moral responsibility and engage with the concerns raised by students.

Pawar described the agitation as a significant victory for the country’s youth, who, he said, stood firmly against injustice through peaceful and determined protest.

“This is a major victory for the unity and determination of the nation’s youth,” Pawar said. “I also express my gratitude to Opposition Members of Parliament who extended moral support to the students and stood by them throughout the movement.”

Highlighting the seriousness of examination irregularities, Pawar said paper leaks jeopardise the future of lakhs of students and undermine public confidence in the education system. He stressed that protecting the integrity of competitive examinations should remain a national priority.

Sharing details of his intervention, Pawar said he met Prime Minister Modi and urged him to initiate discussions with the protesting students instead of allowing the confrontation to continue.

“I personally met the Prime Minister and conveyed that dialogue is essential in a democracy. A lack of communication between the government and citizens can have serious consequences,” he said.

According to Pawar, he also reached out to leaders of the student movement, advising them to remain open to negotiations if the government was willing to engage sincerely.

“I told the protest leaders that if the government comes forward for talks, they should also participate positively in the dialogue. I gave the same message to the Prime Minister, and fortunately, he agreed to the discussions. The developments we are witnessing today reflect the outcome of that dialogue,” Pawar said.

While welcoming the resolution of the standoff, the NCP (SP) chief expressed disappointment over the manner in which the protests were initially handled by the authorities. He criticised the use of force by the Delhi Police during demonstrations at Jantar Mantar, saying such measures should have been avoided.

“I congratulate the younger generation once again. However, when dealing with students and young people, it would have been far better if measures such as lathi charges and tear gas had not been used,” he said.

Pawar maintained that the students had conducted their agitation peacefully and deserved to be heard through constructive engagement rather than coercive action.

Earlier in the day, Pawar also shared his views on social media platform X, where he praised the determination shown by students who continued their protest at Jantar Mantar for 28 consecutive days over the alleged NEET paper leak issue.

He described their movement as a powerful demonstration of democratic values, saying the discipline, patience and resilience displayed by the younger generation had ultimately compelled the government to accept moral responsibility and respond to their demands through dialogue.