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India's Modi says punishing student protesters will not resolve situation
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Yahoo News Singapore - Latest News & Headlines
MUMBAI, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he wanted to forgive students who hurled expletives at him during protests last month, saying that punishing them and forcing them to appear repeatedly in court would not help resolve the situation.
Authorities filed cases against hundreds of demonstrators after some clashed with security forces and shouted abusive slogans at the prime minister.
Punishing them, making them run around courts, or tormenting them in society will not change the situation," Modi said in a video posted on social media late on Friday.
Advertisement AdvertisementAdvertisement AdvertisementIndian youth protesters ended weeks of demonstrations after the education minister quit and the government accepted all demands, which included reforms in the exam system and dropping police cases.
The protests have also prompted the Modi government to introduce a bill in parliament to amend the legislation governing public examinations, proposing longer prison terms and higher fines for those involved in exam paper leaks.