Rijiju Accuses Congress of Avoiding Debate on Anti-Paper Leak Bill, Slams Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Abusive’ Language

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday (July 29, 2026) launched a sharp attack on the Congress and the broader Opposition, accusing them of deliberately avoiding a substantive debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 — commonly referred to as the anti-paper leak Bill. Speaking during the ongoing discussion in the Lok Sabha, Rijiju alleged that Opposition members, including senior Congress leaders, had focused on politics and unrelated issues instead of engaging with the legislation’s provisions.

“The Congress members did not speak on the bill at all; instead, they engaged in politics,” Rijiju said. He specifically noted that even Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had spoken on matters “completely outside the scope of the bill.” Expressing disappointment, the minister said he expected better from Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi. “I hope that in a speech lasting 20 or 30 minutes, he speaks about the bill for at least 5 minutes. It is not right to avoid speaking on such an important bill,” Rijiju remarked.

Rijiju further criticised Rahul Gandhi’s tone and language in the House. “Rahul Gandhi is using all kinds of undemocratic and abusive language, which is not in the setting for correct discourse in parliamentary democracy. One must use civilised and soft language. We may differ with each other, but the way Rahul ji is using abusive, very demeaning kind of language is not good for democracy and for our country,” he stated.

The minister linked the Bill to the recent student protests over the NEET UG paper leak, saying the legislation had been brought in response to the demands of students and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decisions had restored confidence among them. He invited the Congress to offer constructive suggestions on examination reforms rather than diverting attention.

The anti-paper leak Bill aims to strengthen the legal framework against unfair means in public examinations, including stricter and time-bound punishments for those involved in paper leaks. The government has positioned the legislation as a key reform following the NEET controversy and widespread student agitations.

Opposition parties, led by Congress, have maintained that a meaningful discussion on the paper leak issue requires prior action, including the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The debate in Parliament has been marked by frequent disruptions and political sparring, reflecting the deep divide between the treasury and opposition benches on how to address examination integrity.

Rijiju’s intervention underscores the government’s push to keep the focus on legislative solutions while accusing the Opposition of prioritising political point-scoring over the future of students. The discussion on the Bill is expected to continue in the coming days.