New Delhi, July 23 (IANS) In a sharply worded attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement regarding prioritising the welfare of the country's youth, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused the Centre of "allowing and encouraging the destruction" of the education system. Earlier, in a post on X, PM Modi said: "Nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth! We have decided to set up fast-track courts to ensure swift and stringent punishment for those involved in paper leaks. Have directed the concerned authorities and officials to take all necessary steps in this regard."Responding to it, LoP Gandhi said: "You are the one who has harmed the future of our youth the most. You allowed and encouraged the total capture and destruction of our education system - and protected every person responsible for it."

Reiterating the demands of the agitation over exam paper leaks, the Congress MP mentioned: "The students’ demands are clear - sack Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, apologise to the students, and take action against those who assaulted them."Gandhi was referring to the alleged police brutality against protesters during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led march to Parliament on July 20.Meanwhile, PM Modi in his post emphasised that setting up of the fast-track courts is a part of a series of measures by the Central government for "safeguarding the interests of students".The Prime Minister also issued a warning, saying: "Those who try to harm the future of our youth will not be spared."Addressing a press conference a day before, Rahul Gandhi claimed that India’s education system has been “rigged” under the current dispensation.

Justifying the students’ stir in the capital, the Congress MP said that they were fighting for a fair and legitimate reason, but the government was using force to browbeat and crush them.Intensifying the attack on the Education Minister, he said that Dharmendra Pradhan was ‘corrupt and incompetent’ and demanded that he must step down from his position.LoP Gandhi, along with other senior Congress leaders and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, had staged a sit-in near PM Modi's residence on Tuesday over the lathi charge on anti-NEET leak protesters, before being briefly detained by the police.

/IANS