Delhi BJP President and Union Minister of State Harsh Malhotra on Sunday, 26 July launched a sharp attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership, accusing it of double standards over the paper leak controversy — pointing to a high-tech cheating racket uncovered in Punjab, where AAP is in power, even as the party demanded accountability at the Centre.

The Hypocrisy Charge

Addressing reporters following former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation amid a student agitation, Malhotra said: 'Unfortunately, the hypocrisy of leaders like Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, who were trying to hijack this movement, is visible to everyone. Just 10 days ago, when the pharmaceutical exam paper was leaked in Punjab, they were demanding the resignation of the country's Education Minister.'

Malhotra accused AAP of staying silent after Punjab Police and the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) flying squads exposed an interstate cheating network during the pharmacy officer recruitment examination on 19 July. 'The police brutally beat up the students there, the students get inflicted with a lot of injuries, including fractures, and still no statement is issued regarding that,' he said.

Sisodia's Own Words Used Against AAP

Malhotra recalled a statement made by Manish Sisodia at Jantar Mantar in which Sisodia had reportedly said that if a paper leak occurred in Punjab, AAP would demand the resignation of the concerned minister and chief minister. 'I just want to remind Arvind ji and Manish ji of this six-day-old statement of theirs — they too should now seek the resignation of Punjab's Education Minister since they are in power there,' Malhotra said.

Notably, the BJP leader also alleged that 'miscreants' attempted to hijack the student movement in Delhi, calling it 'unfortunate.' He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with resolving the crisis, saying the PM is 'sensitive to the issues of youth and students' and that a solution was reached after talks with the agitating students.

Student Agitation Called Off

The student-led agitation, which had centred on Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, was called off on Saturday after the Centre agreed to all the protesters' demands. The development followed Pradhan's resignation, which protesters had cited as a key condition for ending the stir.

Mann Ki Baat and Modi's Connect with Citizens

Malhotra also commented on the 136th episode of Prime Minister Modi's Mann Ki Baat radio programme, describing him as the only Indian prime minister 'who speaks to the citizens every month.' He added: 'The Prime Minister does not talk about politics, nor does he speak about what the government has done. He believes that the country's progress and development are taking place with the participation of 140 crore people.'

This latest political skirmish comes amid a broader national debate over examination integrity, with paper leaks having triggered protests across multiple states. The AAP had been among the most vocal critics of the Centre's handling of the issue — a stance that BJP leaders are now turning against the party over its own record in Punjab.