Lucknow, July 29 (IANS) Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Wednesday said that merely enacting stringent laws to curb paper leaks will not provide a lasting solution to the problem.
Reacting to the Lok Sabha clearing the Bill providing for stricter punishment in paper leak cases, Mayawati said concerns remain on whether tougher laws alone can address the issue effectively.
She noted that repeated incidents of paper leaks have destroyed the future prospects of countless young students and, in some cases, driven them to take extreme steps, including suicide.
In a post on X, the BSP leader said: “Lok Sabha has passed stringent penal provisions as a remedy to the menace of paper leaks. Whether such legislation would solve the root problem is a question. Many people view it as a hurried response when several other measures also need to be implemented urgently and strictly.”
Noting that the proposed law focuses on imposing harsher punishment after a paper leak occurs when the real challenge is to prevent such crimes from happening in the first place, she called for wide-ranging reforms in the education sector, including making educational loans more affordable and welfare-oriented, improving the quality of government schools, and overhauling the broader education system.
She further stated that while children from affluent families can often secure educational opportunities through financial means, millions of deserving students from economically weaker sections are unable to realise their potential despite talent and hard work.
Describing paper leaks as only one manifestation of deeper structural problems, Mayawati said the crisis in the education system runs far deeper and requires sustained, honest efforts driven by political will and good intent. Only then, she said, can the country progress in a manner that benefits all 1.4 billion citizens rather than a privileged few.
She also expressed disappointment that debates on the anti-paper leak Bill in Parliament were largely marked by political point-scoring and allegations among parties rather than a serious discussion on solutions.
“The fundamental question remains whether enacting one law after another can truly resolve such a complex problem,” she said, urging the government to explore additional and more effective measures to safeguard the country’s future.
–IANS
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