Rahul hails 'student power, youth unity' as UP govt cancels constable recruitment exam

New Delhi, Feb 24 (PTI) Terming the cancellation of the police constable recruitment exam by the Uttar Pradesh government as a victory of youth unity and student power, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said 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.

"Big victory for student power and youth unity! 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, using hashtags "#YuvaNYAY" and "#UPP_REEXAM".

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 a 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 paper was leaked.

They tried to intimidate the students and teachers and made misleading statements, she added.

"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.

The Uttar Pradesh government also announced a probe into the allegations by the Special Task Force (STF).

More than 48 lakh candidates appeared in the examination conducted across the state on February 17 and 18.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said "there can be no compromise with the sanctity of examinations" and assured strict action against "unruly elements".

"There can be no compromise with the sanctity of examinations. Those who toy with the hard work of youngsters will not be spared under any circumstances. Strictest action is certain to be taken against such unruly elements," he said in a post in Hindi on 'X'.

More than 240 people were arrested and detained by the police across Uttar Pradesh for allegedly adopting or planning to use unfair means in the recruitment exam. PTI