Incompetent, Knee-Jerk Response: Priyank Kharge Slams Telegram Ban

Kalaburagi: Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge on Friday criticised the move to restrict the messaging platform Telegram. He argued that such a move would unfairly affect students.

In a post on X, Kharge said banning Telegram would amount to a "lazy and incompetent knee-jerk response that punishes students instead of fixing the real problem.”

He pointed out that lakhs of students use Telegram for study material, updates, peer learning, and exam preparation.

“Why should they suffer because the NTA and the Union Government repeatedly fail to conduct exams with integrity? Paper leaks, delays, mismanagement, and opaque systems have become the NTA’s trademark,” he said.

The Home Minister added that instead of holding the agency accountable, the Government wants to ban platforms, silence channels, and shift blame.

“The issue is not Telegram, the issue is the Central Government’s and NTA’s incompetence,” he posted.