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🇸🇬 Singapore /Culture & Society

India's Modi says punishing student protesters will not resolve situation

From The Straits Times · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed a desire to forgive students who protested him, stating that punishment and court appearances would not resolve the situation.
  • Protests erupted in July after a national exam paper leak affected 2 million students, fueling anger over limited opportunities for Indian youth.
  • The government is introducing a bill to increase penalties for exam paper leaks, while protesters ended demonstrations after the education minister resigned and demands were met.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated his intention to forgive students who protested him, arguing that punishing them and forcing them through legal proceedings would not solve the underlying issues.

Modi's remarks came after widespread protests in July, triggered by the leak of national exam papers that necessitated a retest for 2 million students. This incident intensified anger among Indian youth regarding the scarcity of opportunities.

These are misled children. Showing them the right path is our duty. Punishing them, making them run around courts, or tormenting them in society will not change the situation.

— Narendra ModiPrime Minister of India, in a video posted on social media explaining his stance on student protesters.

During the protests, clashes occurred between demonstrators and security forces in various locations, including New Delhi, where police used tear gas and batons against those marching toward parliament. The Cockroach Janta Party reported hundreds of student arrests nationwide, contradicting government assurances.

Weeks of demonstrations concluded after the education minister resigned and the government agreed to all protester demands, which included reforms to the examination system and the withdrawal of police cases. In response to the exam leak scandal, the Modi government is also proposing legislation to impose stricter penalties for such offenses.

I want to forgive them. I hope society also accepts this stance of mine.

— Narendra ModiPrime Minister of India, expressing his desire for reconciliation with protesting students.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Straits Times. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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