Punjab Education Minister Bains Hits Back at Opposition Over Paper Leak Row, Defends Police Action

Chandigarh, July 2026 : Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Thursday accused opposition parties of attempting to “defame Punjab for their petty politics” over allegations of paper leaks and examination irregularities in the state.

Defending the state government’s handling of the issue, Bains said Punjab Police had successfully arrested a gang allegedly involved in attempts to carry out cheating practices during examinations. He maintained that the investigation was still underway and that further action would follow based on the findings.

“Some opposition parties tried to defame Punjab for their petty politics,” Bains told reporters. He said the state government had already held a detailed press conference along with senior police officers to explain the circumstances surrounding the case.

According to Bains, the gang was allegedly operating from Haryana and may have been involved in similar cheating-related activities there. He claimed that the group attempted to replicate those practices in Punjab but was caught by the state police before it could succeed.

“We discussed in detail how a gang operating from Haryana, that might have committed multiple cheating cases in Haryana, tried to attempt those same practices in Punjab once. But under the leadership of the Punjab CM, the state police did a great job and caught them red-handed and arrested them on the spot,” Bains said.

He added that the investigation into the matter was continuing and that the government would take further action based on the evidence collected by the police.

The minister’s remarks came amid mounting political pressure from opposition parties demanding accountability over alleged examination irregularities in Punjab. On July 30, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs staged a protest inside Parliament seeking Bains’ resignation over the alleged paper leak controversy.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has also demanded the minister’s resignation, alleging that as many as six examination-related leaks have occurred in Punjab. The party has cited alleged irregularities involving the Punjab Teacher Eligibility Test, the Class 12 English examination and the pharmacy officer recruitment examination, claiming that the incidents affected a large number of aspirants.

The controversy also spilled onto the streets of the national capital on July 29, when Delhi Police and BJP workers clashed during a demonstration outside the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) office over the alleged paper leak issue in Punjab.

BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj subsequently accused the AAP leadership of adopting “double standards” on examination irregularities and questioned why accountability had not been fixed in Punjab.

Swaraj specifically raised allegations concerning the pharmacy recruitment examination and asked why the Punjab government had not sought the resignation of the Education Minister.

She contrasted the Punjab government’s response with measures taken by the Centre following irregularities linked to the NEET examination. According to Swaraj, the Narendra Modi-led NDA government had strengthened the anti-paper leak law by increasing penalties and introducing provisions aimed at faster investigations and trials.

“The AAP and its Punjab government have maintained complete silence, hiding behind technicalities,” Swaraj alleged.

She also accused the state government of failing to address the concerns of students whose careers could be affected by examination irregularities.

The political confrontation over the issue is expected to continue as the Punjab Police investigation progresses. While the government has maintained that it acted swiftly by arresting those allegedly involved in cheating attempts, opposition parties have continued to demand greater accountability and action against those responsible for examination-related lapses.