Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education Chairman Rajesh Sharma on Thursday objected to Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda’s reported remarks linking the board to paper leak cases. He said that the education board had always functioned above politics and its image should not be tarnished for political reasons. Sharma, while addressing mediapersons, said that it was unfortunate that Nadda, who hails from Bilaspur, made misleading statements about the board while defending the Central Government over the NEET paper leak controversy.

Sharma claimed, “The HP Board of School Education is an autonomous institution and has always remained above politics. It is unfortunate that false narratives are being spread about the board. Whenever Congress governments had been in power in Himachal Pradesh, no exam paper conducted by the HP School Education Board was leaked.”

He said that Nadda’s father, late NL Nadda, had served as the Chairman of the education board from September 1992 to September 1995. He added that though the Congress came to power in Himachal in 1993, it did not remove NL Nadda from the post as he was a respected educationist.

Sharma said, “The Congress has always kept education above politics. We respected NL Nadda’s contribution and allowed him to continue as the board Chairman. Therefore, JP Nadda should refrain from making statements to malign the institution where his own father had served.”

About the NEET paper leak, he said that the Central Government should accept responsibility instead of diverting the attention of people by dragging the Himachal board into the controversy. He also demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, alleging that the Central Government had failed to safeguard the interests of students.

Sharma urged Nadda to correct his facts and avoid making statements that could damage the credibility of the HP education board.