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| Rahul Gandhi |
The Indian Parliament witnessed one of its most volatile sessions in recent memory as Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing, personal attack on Union Home Minister Amit Shah, accusing him of authorising police violence against students protesting the NEET paper leak .
The confrontation, which unfolded during the debate on the anti-paper leak amendment bill, saw the Lower House descend into chaos, with the Speaker expunging Gandhi's remarks and the Treasury Benches demanding an immediate apology .
The "Explosive" Allegation
As the debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, got underway, Rahul Gandhi turned his fire on the absent Home Minister. He directly linked Amit Shah to the crackdown on the July 20 student march to Parliament, alleging that the use of force was authorised at the highest level .
"The home minister is not here today because he is scared. The home minister authorised the shooting of our students. He put pellets into the blood of our students; he ordered the students of India to be shot," Gandhi thundered from the Opposition bench .
Gandhi further claimed that such an order for the use of force “can only be authorised by the home minister or the Prime Minister,” questioning the Home Minister’s absence and describing him as "looking, shaking" inside his convoy .
As the debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, got underway, Rahul Gandhi turned his fire on the absent Home Minister. He directly linked Amit Shah to the crackdown on the July 20 student march to Parliament, alleging that the use of force was authorised at the highest level .
"The home minister is not here today because he is scared. The home minister authorised the shooting of our students. He put pellets into the blood of our students; he ordered the students of India to be shot," Gandhi thundered from the Opposition bench .
Gandhi further claimed that such an order for the use of force “can only be authorised by the home minister or the Prime Minister,” questioning the Home Minister’s absence and describing him as "looking, shaking" inside his convoy .
Uproar and Expunction
The remarks triggered a firestorm from the ruling benches. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju immediately rose to object, demanding that Gandhi substantiate his "very serious" allegations.
"How can you say this? You are the LoP. On what basis are you levelling this allegation? This is highly objectionable. You should apologise. This is a breach of his own position and privilege," Rijiju retorted, asking Gandhi to clarify the basis of his claims .
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla intervened, reminding Gandhi that the discussion was not on the Home Minister. He urged the Leader of the Opposition to stick to facts and provide proof, warning that allegations cannot be made without evidence in the House . Subsequently, the Speaker ordered the expunction of Gandhi’s remarks against Amit Shah from the parliamentary record .
The remarks triggered a firestorm from the ruling benches. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju immediately rose to object, demanding that Gandhi substantiate his "very serious" allegations.
"How can you say this? You are the LoP. On what basis are you levelling this allegation? This is highly objectionable. You should apologise. This is a breach of his own position and privilege," Rijiju retorted, asking Gandhi to clarify the basis of his claims .
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla intervened, reminding Gandhi that the discussion was not on the Home Minister. He urged the Leader of the Opposition to stick to facts and provide proof, warning that allegations cannot be made without evidence in the House . Subsequently, the Speaker ordered the expunction of Gandhi’s remarks against Amit Shah from the parliamentary record .
The RSS and Education: A Broader Attack
The Congress leader did not stop at the Home Ministry. He broadened his offensive to target the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), accusing it of "capturing" the soul of the education system .
Gandhi dismissed the recent resignation of former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan as "superficial," alleging that the ministry was effectively run by the RSS.
"Dharmendra Pradhan never ran the education ministry. The man and organisation that run the ministry is called the RSS. Pradhan is a symbol. Your real enemy is the RSS. They are the people who want you to be andhbhakts (blind followers)," Gandhi claimed .
He described the current education system as "terrible," "cruel," and an "extortion system," alleging that privatisation and RSS influence have stifled students' ability to ask questions and pursue their passions .
The Congress leader did not stop at the Home Ministry. He broadened his offensive to target the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), accusing it of "capturing" the soul of the education system .
Gandhi dismissed the recent resignation of former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan as "superficial," alleging that the ministry was effectively run by the RSS.
"Dharmendra Pradhan never ran the education ministry. The man and organisation that run the ministry is called the RSS. Pradhan is a symbol. Your real enemy is the RSS. They are the people who want you to be andhbhakts (blind followers)," Gandhi claimed .
He described the current education system as "terrible," "cruel," and an "extortion system," alleging that privatisation and RSS influence have stifled students' ability to ask questions and pursue their passions .
The BJP's Counter
The BJP swiftly hit back, rejecting Gandhi's claims and accusing him of playing to the gallery. Union Minister Jitendra Singh clarified that no "shots" were fired, asserting that only tear gas was used during the protests, and the authority to order such action rests with the magistrate, not the minister .
BJP MP Sambit Patra launched a sharp personal attack on the LoP, stating that he "always plays the victim card" and quipped that Gandhi cares more about the "Gen-G" (Generation Gandhis) rather than the actual youth or "Gen-Z" .
The BJP swiftly hit back, rejecting Gandhi's claims and accusing him of playing to the gallery. Union Minister Jitendra Singh clarified that no "shots" were fired, asserting that only tear gas was used during the protests, and the authority to order such action rests with the magistrate, not the minister .
BJP MP Sambit Patra launched a sharp personal attack on the LoP, stating that he "always plays the victim card" and quipped that Gandhi cares more about the "Gen-G" (Generation Gandhis) rather than the actual youth or "Gen-Z" .
Defending the Student Movement
Despite the uproar, Gandhi defended the student protests as a "beautiful expression" of the nation's youth, urging the government to listen rather than suppress them . He accused the government of trying to silence the voice of the future generation by replacing empathy with aggression .
Conclusion
The session encapsulated the deep political chasm in the country over the handling of the NEET controversy. Rahul Gandhi’s allegations have put the government on the back foot, leading to a debate about police conduct and the ideological direction of the education system. While his remarks have been expunged from the official record, the political fire they have ignited shows no signs of dying down as India looks toward the future of its student protests and the integrity of its national exams.
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