Chandigarh | As the Congress targets the BJP-led government at the Centre over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024 examinations, former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Friday said it is not an isolated case and there have been several cases in the past.

Hooda alleged that the BJP government is playing with the future of youth. Be it NEET or UGC NET at the national level, or a series of recruitment scams happening in Haryana, there are several examples of such misdeeds which have been exposed at the national and state level, Hooda said, while addressing a programme of the party workers in Sonipat, according to a statement.

State Congress chief Udai Bhan, newly elected Congress MP from Sonipat, Satpal Brahmachari and former Haryana assembly speaker Kuldeep Sharma, were among those present.

In his address, Hooda said, "Today the Congress is protesting against NEET and NET paper scams across the country... In Haryana, the Congress has been continuously raising this issue."

Addressing the gathering, Kuldeep Sharma scotched rumours that he was leaving the Congress.

Referring to the rumours, Sharma said, "I was abroad and returned late last night. Heard about so many rumours behind me. One thing I can tell everyone, which is that I can leave this world, not the Congress".

Pointing towards Hooda, Sharma said, "Hooda is my friend, my elder brother. I am not going to leave him".

At this, Hooda held Sharma's hand and told him there is no way he can leave him even if he (Sharma) wants to.

Sharma asked the workers to prepare for the Vidhan Sabha polls, which are due in October.

"The Congress is going to win the Vidhan Sabha polls," Sharma said.

On NEET, there have been allegations of question paper leaks in states like Bihar and other irregularities in the prestigious exam. The allegations have led to protests in several cities and the filing of petitions in several high courts as well as the Supreme Court.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court said even if there was "0.001 per cent negligence" on the part of anyone in the conduct of the NEET-UG 2024 examination, it should be thoroughly dealt with.

The NEET-UG examination is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in the government and private institutions across the country.

Meanwhile, Hooda thanked the party workers in Sonipat over the victory of the Congress candidate from the parliamentary constituency in the recently held Lok Sabha polls.

He asked the workers to now gear up for the assembly polls.

He said after winning one front, they had to prepare to win the next front.

"For this, it is necessary to increase public outreach further. Go to all communities and tell them about the failures of the current government," he stated.

"It is important to tell the public that Haryana, which was the number one state in the country in terms of per capita income, per capita investment, employment, on law and order front... during the Congress government before 2014.

"But the BJP has made the state number one in unemployment, crime, corruption and drug menace. That is why the public has made up its mind to bring the Congress government," he added.