Priyanka Vadra questioned the government's handling of student protestors' July 20 ‘Sansad Chalo’ march. She mentioned an ICU patient at Ram Manohar Lohiya Hospital who was ‘fighting for her life’ due to violence.

After Dharmendra Pradhan resigned amid student-led protests over NEET paper leaks, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra questioned Pralhad Joshi's selection as education minister on Tuesday.

“The Prime Minister appointed a new Education Minister, a person who expressed consent and even happiness over the release of those convicted of raping a pregnant woman,” Vadra remarked during a Lok Sabha discussion on a new anti-paper leak bill.

In response, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju remarked, “This amounts to character assassination within Parliament, and we do not expect such language... Remove these statements from the record. Second, avoid such terminology... She should apologize to the House.”

Priyanka Vadra claimed she would offer papers to corroborate her comments on Joshi's remarks over the release of the 2002 Bilkis Bano gangrape suspects, despite opposition from other ruling party members including Joshi and Nishikant Dubey.

Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines Joshi's October 2022 statements on the premature release of 11 prisoners serving life sentences in the 2002 Bilkis Bano gangrape case generated a controversy. As per the legal provision,” Joshi told the Indian Express.
Lathis, tear gas, water canons, pellets—who ordered them?

Vadra criticized the government's conduct of student demonstrators' July 20 'Sansad Chalo' march. She inquired who authorized the use of lathis and pellet guns on protestors, referring to a girl in the Ram Manohar Lohiya Hospital's ICU who was "fighting for her life."
The whole country, not just Congress, is asking—what was the need, and who—the Home Minister or the Prime Minister—allowed to use lathis, tear gas, water canons, pellet guns, and AK47 on students on July 20?

Vadra spoke during Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 discussion. Monday saw the Bill presented and debated today. Union Minister Jitendra Singh introduced the Bill to enhance the anti-paper leak law and raise penalties for leakers. This follows a week of disturbances and three days after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as Union Education Minister after a month-long Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest over the NEET paper leak.

Vadra also criticized PM Modi for posting Instagram clips following NEET paper leaks and student demonstrations.
Gen-Z won't trust you again with different-angled videos. PM Modi should adjust his ‘angle of his heart’ not camera, says Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Vadra was alluding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popular, Gen Z-style front-camera Instagram videos that garnered internet criticism for their camera angles. In later recordings, Prime Minister Modi spoke from a better viewpoint.

She advised against recording films from numerous viewpoints to retain Gen Z's confidence.

Vadra said 152 paper leaks in the past decade affected 7.5 crore pupils. The administration has not penalized “not one guilty or paper leak mafia,” she said, questioning its responsibility.
According to Akhilesh Yadav, police action against protesting students is similar to emergency measures.
In a Lok Sabha discussion on the bill to tighten the anti-paper leak legislation, Yadav criticized the police onslaught on students, saying such ‘injustice was comparable to the Emergency period.

Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav stated on Tuesday that the students' NEET paper leak protest was the first supported by parents and compelled the government to cave in.

In a Lok Sabha discussion on the bill to tighten the anti-paper leak law, Yadav criticized the police onslaught on students as "lathis with spikes and electric batons" and "injustice was akin to the Emergency period."

Sarkar dar, ghabra jati, to sweekar kar leti hai...When frightened, the government concedes... the government bowed down and accepted the demands "relating to Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation as education minister.

Yadav thought the government would honor protestors' pledges. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said parents sent their children to fight for their rights. "This was the first such agitation which was supported by parents."

Yadav also criticized the government for "outsourcing" the National Testing Agency. He slammed the Centre by saying the opposition fears having the government outsourced like NTA.


Lok Sabha discusses anti-paper leak bill

After a week-long delay, the Lok Sabha resumed discussing the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill 2026 on Tuesday, with Union minister Jitendra Singh calling it a reaffirmation of the government's commitment to student and youth welfare.

The Bill aims to enhance the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 by enabling fast-track investigations, trials, Special Fast Track Courts, Special Public Prosecutors, timely appeals, and stricter penalties to deter unfair practices and organized malpractices.How can those who failed to stop providing theft avoid paper leaks? They just amended the legislation. Who are you duping? How could 20 examinations leak during the BJP's ten-year rule if the law worked

Akhilesh Yadav's comments prompted Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju to ask whether he chose Emergency than a government response to student unrest.


I did not experience the Emergency . is it preferable for the government to listen to a student protest and present a law in Parliament or to declare a countrywide Emergency to crush it? Rijiju said.

Yadav said to Rijiju, “I did not witness the Emergency firsthand, but we have seen echoes of what happened then right here in the national capital. Not the law; your intents are dishonest. When your motives are honest, the exam will be clean.

Yadav mocked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Centre in the Lok Sabha by saying that by removing one "Pradhan", the government had saved the "Pradhan Mantri" in reference to former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over the NEET-UG paper leak.
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You rescued Pradhan Mantri by eliminating him.

During the conversation, Yadav stated that the resignation was due to student pressure over suspected irregularities in public exams.After arriving in Parliament, former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan was welcomed outside. Imagine how relieved and rescued the members were. "Removing one 'Pradhan' saved the 'Pradhan Mantri'," Yadav stated.

After student protests over the NEET disaster led to Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation as education minister, the government proposed a Bill in the Lok Sabha on Monday to increase penalties for paper leaks to up to 10 years in jail and a ₹50 lakh fine.