Updated on: 29 Jul 2026
NEW DELHI: Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi launched a fierce attack on the central government during a Lok Sabha debate on the anti-paper leak (amendment) bill, alleging that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has captured the “soul of India’s education system” and seeks to turn students into “andhbhakts” (blind followers).
Backing the nationwide student demonstrations sparked by irregularities in the NEET-UG examination, Gandhi stated that the protests were a proud expression of youth resistance rather than violence, while accusing top ministers of operating merely as figureheads for the RSS.
Key Highlights of Rahul Gandhi’s Address
1. Attack on RSS & Education System
- Capture of Institutions: Alleged that every university now has an RSS-backed Vice-Chancellor and claimed an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Minister’s office actually runs the Education Ministry.
- Targeting the Ideology: Called the RSS the “real enemy” stopping youth from pursuing genuine inquiry, seeking instead to turn them into non-questioning followers.
- Superficial Resignations: Dismissed former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan as a mere “symbol,” asserting his resignation changed nothing about who controls policy.
2. Support for Student Protests
- Pride in Youth Action: Stated that every Indian should be proud of the youth taking to the streets over paper leaks, calling it a deep, non-violent expression of their future.
- Cross-Party Resonance: Asserted that if BJP leaders spoke to their own children about the protests, they would find agreement with the students’ demands.
- Defining a True Student: Quoted an interaction with a young student to contrast the “humility and open-mindedness” of genuine learners with the “arrogance of those who believe knowledge emerges only from themselves.”
Uproar & Treasury Bench Objections
The speech triggered repeated interruptions and heavy pushback from the treasury benches:
- Allegations Against Home Minister: Gandhi claimed Home Minister Amit Shah was absent because he was “scared” and alleged Shah authorized police action against student protesters marching to Parliament.
- Speaker’s Intervention: Speaker Om Birla intervened, clarifying that the Home Minister was not the subject of the debate and directing Gandhi to submit proof for his assertions while warning that unparliamentary terms would be expunged.
- Demands for Apology: Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju strongly objected to the claims, demanding an official clarification and apology, while Union Minister Rajnath Singh called out the use of unparliamentary language.
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