New Delhi, February 23: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said youngsters from Lucknow to Prayagraj have taken to the streets against the alleged paper leak in police recruitments, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "misleading" them in Varanasi. He also shared a video on X of youngsters protesting on the streets against the paper leak in police recruitment exams and said Modi is lecturing them about their own backyard.

"From Lucknow to Prayagraj, youngsters are on the streets over the paper leak in police recruitments. And just 100 km away in Varanasi, the prime minister is misleading them...," Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on the microblogging platform. "In typical Banarasi style, Modiji is telling 'Nani about nanihal'," he said, in an apparent reference to lecturing people about their own backyards. PM Narendra Modi Slams Rahul Gandhi for His Drunkard Youth Remark, Says ‘Congress Leader Venting Frustration on Youth of Uttar Pradesh’ (Watch Video)

In a relentless attack on the opposition, Modi said in Varanasi on Friday that these parties are instigating people in the name of caste and making them fight against each other. He also hit out at Gandhi for his "drunk men" on Varanasi roads remark, saying those not in their senses are terming youngsters "nasheri" (addicts). At a rally, Modi said, "Members of the Congress's 'shahi parivar' are calling the youngsters of Varanasi 'nasheri'," without naming Gandhi.

"Those who are not in 'hosh' (senses) themselves are calling youngsters nasheri," he added. Gandhi had recently said he saw some youngsters lying on the streets of Varanasi in an inebriated condition and dancing at night. The future of the youngsters of Uttar Pradesh is intoxicated, he had said. "They have spent two decades abusing Modi and are now venting their frustration on youngsters. Those who are not in their senses themselves are calling the children of my Kashi drug addicts. No one will forget this insult of the youngsters of Uttar Pradesh by the INDI alliance," Modi said.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said in a post on X that her party had introduced a law on recruitment in Uttar Pradesh with provisions to stop paper leaks and corruption. "In view of the paper-leak crisis, our demand is -- there should be a CBI inquiry into both the recent paper leak incidents and strict action should be taken against the culprits. An examination calendar should be issued, in which the dates of advertisement, examination, appointment are recorded and strict action should be taken in case of its violation," she said in a post in Hindi. PM Narendra Modi Launches Scathing Attack on Opposition INDIA Bloc, Says ‘Its Members Incite People in Name of Caste’ (Watch Video)

Rahul Gandhi Questions PM Modi Silence Over Paper Leak

Priyanka Gandhi also demanded that social justice observers be appointed to prevent corruption in reservation and added that to restore the confidence of youngsters, all examination forms should be made available to them for free. She also demanded that free buses and trains be provided to youngsters for appearing in examinations. An agitation of civil service aspirants against the alleged leaking of question papers of the police recruitment examination entered its fifth day on Friday.

The aspirants held a protest at the front gate of the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has voiced support to the agitation, saying the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) does not want to provide jobs or reservations.