New Delhi, Jul 21: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asserted that strong action was taken against those involved in the NEET paper leaks so that no one plays with the future of the youth, and said states should join hands with the Centre to tackle the menace in national interest.

Modi made the remarks at a meeting of the NDA MPs here, a day after thousands of students led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) took part in the ‘Sansad Chalo’ march against irregularities in the NEET exam and to demand Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.

Briefing journalists after the NDA Parliamentary Party meeting, which was named ‘Mangal Milan’ since it is held mostly on Tuesdays, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the prime minister told the MPs that the government acted immediately after reports of the paper leak surfaced, and 13 people were arrested and sent to jail.

“At the same time, the prime minister said, to ensure that students’ future was not affected, the NEET re-examination was given priority, conducted successfully, and the results were declared without delay,” Rijiju said after the hour-long meeting.

He said the prime minister also said that strict steps have been taken to prevent such paper leaks in the future.

Modi told the NDA MPs that those found involved in the paper leak racket have been arrested and jailed.

The prime minister also told the ruling alliance’s MPs that those guilty in paper leaks should be given the strictest possible punishment, with the support of the country’s top lawyers, so that those involved in such a grave offence face exemplary action and such incidents do not recur.

“The prime minister said strong action has been taken to ensure that no one plays with the future of youth. The prime minister also said that to ensure that no future paper leaks take place, all state governments and the Centre must join hands irrespective of party. This is not a matter of party politics but matter of national interests,” Rijiju said.

Modi also stressed the need to punish the guilty and collaboratively establish a foolproof system.

The parliamentary affairs minister said the prime minister gave guidance to everyone present at the meeting.

He said at the outset the newly elected Rajya Sabha members, including BJP president Nitin Nabin, who was elected to the Upper House recently, was congratulated and wished success in Parliament.

Rijiju said the meeting was very productive as the prime minister spoke on several important issues.

The prime minister spoke about the achievements the country has made over the past few months and also briefed the NDA MPs on the free trade agreements (FTA) signed with several countries.

On the FTAs, Rijiju said, Modi assured the NDA members that the interests of farmers would be prioritised and emphasised that no harm would come to them.

The prime minister stressed that the welfare of farmers remains paramount in any FTA signed with any country and the government is ensuring that these agreements serve the best interests of both the farmers and the nation, he said.

Rijiju said the NDA would play a constructive role during the ongoing Monsoon Session.

“We are united in our resolve to ensure the passage of all important bills brought forward for the nation’s benefit. We also appeal to the opposition parties that while they may hold differing views, they should come forward to work together for the country, its future, and the youth,” he said.

Gangtok, Jul 21: Ten people were killed after a tunnel under construction collapsed due to a landslide in Sikkim’s Namchi district a day ago, police said on Tuesday.

The number of victims could go up as search and rescue operations were underway, a Namchi district official said.

Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang said the tunnel of NHPC Teesta Stage VI Hydroelectric Project at Samardung in Jholungey caved in due to a landslide.

A total of 25 people, including project officials and workers, were trapped inside the ADIT-3 tunnel when it suddenly collapsed on Monday, he said.

The CM said Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with him and enquired about the rescue operations.

“Ten bodies have been recovered till 9.30 am on Tuesday. Seven of the deceased have been identified, while three unidentified bodies were sent to the District Hospital Singtam and STNM Hospital,” the Namchi police said in a statement.

Of the seven identified deceased, four were from West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri, one each from Assam, Punjab and Uttarakhand’s Dehradun, and one was a resident of Namchi, it said.

“My heartfelt condolences go to the families of the workers, who have lost their lives. In this hour of grief, the thoughts and prayers of the entire state are with the bereaved families, and we stand firmly by them during this difficult time,” Tamang said in a statement.

The chief minister said he was closely monitoring the ongoing rescue operation.

The teams of the Namchi district administration, Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA), Sikkim Police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Fire and Emergency Services, and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) from Pakyong and Siliguri, along with other specialised agencies, were working tirelessly to recover the bodies of the remaining workers trapped inside the tunnel, Tamang said.

“Following the tragic incident at the under-construction tunnel of the NHPC Teesta Stage VI Hydroelectric Project at Samardung, Jholungey, in Namchi District, Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with me to enquire about the situation and the ongoing rescue operations,” the chief minister said on X.

Tamang also said, “His (PM) words of concern and compassion for the affected workers and their families, along with his assurance of every possible assistance from the Government of India, have provided immense strength and reassurance to the people of Sikkim during this difficult hour.”

The chief minister said he has directed the authorities to provide every possible assistance, expedite the rescue efforts, and ensure that the highest standards of safety are strictly maintained throughout the operation.

On Monday, the district officials had said around 27 workers were trapped inside the tunnel under construction after a landslide blocked its entrance and triggered a suspected gas leak in the afternoon.

The rescue operation had been complicated by the presence of gas inside the tunnel, with several personnel experiencing dizziness and losing consciousness while attempting to reach the trapped workers, they said.

The gas is believed to be naturally emanating from underground strata or rock formations disturbed by the landslide, they said.

Shambhu, Jul 21: Farmer leader from Punjab, Sarwan Singh Pandher, on Tuesday morning slammed the Haryana government for barricading the Shambhu border point to prevent them from heading towards Delhi to participate in the Kisan Mahapanchayat against the proposed India-US trade deal.

Heavy police deployment was made at the Shambhu border point between Punjab and Haryana, with barricades erected and cemented blocks placed at the bridge over Ghaggar river.

A day-long “Kisan Mahapanchayat” has been planned against the proposed India-US trade deal at Delhi’s Kisan Ghat under the banner of “Desh Bachao Morcha”.

Farmer leaders had earlier said that participants from several places, including Punjab and Haryana, would take part in the Mahapanchayat.

Farmers from several places in Punjab have planned to move towards Delhi in buses.

Pandher said farmers wanted to proceed peacefully to Delhi, but the Haryana government was stopping them at the Shambhu border.

Speaking to reporters in Fatehgarh Sahib, Pandher alleged that this exposed the “true face” of Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, who frequently visits Punjab and makes tall promises to its people.

Pandher said farmers want the proposed India-US trade agreement to be completely scrapped.

He added that the future course of action will be decided by consulting with other farmer leaders upon reaching the Shambhu border point.

The farmers’ convoy departed from Gurdwara Sri Fatehgarh Sahib on Thursday morning. More than 1,000 farmers spent the previous night at the sarai (pilgrims’ inn) of the gurdwara.

From the gurdwara, the march reached Madhopur, near Sirhind on the GT Road, and then proceeded towards Shambhu.

On Monday, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni) chief Gurnam Singh Charuni was detained by police in Kurukshetra while heading to Delhi for the Mahapanchayat.

The outfit’s spokesperson, Prince Waraich, had claimed that the Haryana Police was detaining a large number of its workers in an attempt to prevent their participation in the protest.

Farmers claimed that the proposed India-US trade deal would allow cheaper agricultural imports into India, affecting domestic farm incomes and the country’s agricultural economy.

The proposed trade pact would adversely affect farmers, agricultural labourers, livestock rearers, small traders and micro industries, they claimed.

Demanding immediate intervention by the Centre, farmers have urged it to abandon the proposed trade pact and safeguard the interests of farmers and the common people.