Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday mounted a sharp attack on the Centre during the Lok Sabha debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, questioning the security forces' actions, including the use of pellet guns, against students protesting the NEET paper leak in Delhi.
Referring to the July 20 anti-paper leak protests in the national capital, Priyanka asked why security forces allegedly resorted to tear gas shells and pellet guns against students.
"What was the need to unleash pellet guns and AK-47s on the country’s youth? Were they terrorists? Who gave the order to use pellet guns? Was it the Prime Minister? Was it the Home Minister? They must answer. The entire nation is asking. It is not just the Congress party; the entire nation is demanding an answer," she said.
The Congress MP also sought accountability for the police action, asking who authorised the use of pellet guns to disperse the protesters. "Who gave the orders to use pellet guns and suppress students' voices?" she asked, while demanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah explain why force was used against students demonstrating over the examination controversy.
Priyanka further alleged that the country's examination and education system had failed, saying repeated paper leaks had shattered students' trust. "The education system has developed flaws. The exam system has failed. Not a single mafia member has been punished," she said, accusing the government of failing to take effective action against those responsible for examination malpractices.
Uproar over Priyanka's criticism of Pralhad Joshi
Uproar ensued in the House after Priyanka Gandhi attacked the Centre over the appointment of Pralhad Joshi as the new education minister, alleging that the Prime Minister had chosen "a person who expressed consent and even happiness over the release of those convicted of raping a pregnant woman."
Her remarks triggered strong objections from the Treasury benches, with Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju accusing her of making defamatory statements in Parliament.
Rijiju said the comments amounted to "character assassination" and demanded that they be expunged from the proceedings. "This amounts to character assassination within Parliament, and we do not expect such language. These statements should be expunged from the record. Such language should not be used. She should apologise to the House," he said.
'Education system hollowed out'
Priyanka further accused the Centre of weakening the country's education system, alleging that it had been "hollowed out" by appointing RSS pracharaks to key positions and by centralising the examination process through the National Testing Agency (NTA).
Speaking in the Lok Sabha during the debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, Priyanka claimed that the government's allocation for education had been shrinking despite growing needs. She also alleged that the Centre had weakened sectors that generate employment, leaving young people with fewer opportunities.
Attacking the government's handling of examination irregularities, Priyanka said the examination system had failed, claiming there had been 152 paper leaks over the past decade that affected crores of students. She further alleged that despite the scale of the problem, not a single member of the alleged paper leak mafia had been punished.
Her remarks came as the Opposition targeted the government over alleged lapses in conducting public examinations and demanded greater accountability during the debate on the amendment bill in the Lok Sabha.