LIVE | Amit Shah either culpable or incompetent, either way has to go: Rahul

Lok Sabha passes Anti-Paper Leak Bill, adjourned for the day

The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 by a voice vote amid heavy sloganeering by Opposition members. Following the passage of the Bill, the House was adjourned for the day.

The legislation seeks to strengthen the anti-paper leak law by expanding the definition of unfair means, providing for time-bound investigations and trials, and introducing stricter penalties for those involved in organised examination fraud.

The Bill comes in the wake of widespread protests over the alleged leak of the NEET-UG 2024 examination paper, which triggered nationwide outrage and prompted the Centre to bring in a law aimed at protecting the integrity of public examinations.

The original Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 was enacted following the controversy and prescribes stringent punishment for paper leaks and organised cheating networks. The latest amendment seeks to further tighten the legal framework in response to emerging challenges in conducting large-scale public examinations.

Lok Sabha adjourned for the day

The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day on Wednesday after concluding its scheduled business. The House will meet again at 11 a.m. on Thursday (July 30).

The lower House has witnessed sharp exchanges between the treasury and Opposition benches during the ongoing Monsoon Session, with recent debates centring on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026. The proposed legislation seeks to strengthen the anti-paper leak law by providing for tougher penalties, time-bound investigations and fast-track trials in cases involving examination malpractice.

After several days of disruptions, the Lok Sabha resumed legislative business this week to take up the Bill, with both the government and the Opposition engaging in an intense debate over the Centre's handling of examination paper leaks and recent protests by students.

Rajya Sabha passes National Honour Amendment Bill, adjourned for the day

The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, after a debate on the proposed legislation.

The Bill seeks to amend the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, by extending legal protection to Vande Mataram, making the intentional insult or disruption of the national song a punishable offence on par with similar provisions applicable to the national anthem.

Following the passage of the legislation, the Chair adjourned the Rajya Sabha for the day. The House will reconvene at 11 a.m. on Thursday (July 30).

Jitendra Singh accuses Priyanka of misquoting data

Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh on Wednesday criticised Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi during the Lok Sabha debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, accusing her of citing incorrect figures in the House.

Singh said Priyanka Gandhi had relied on inaccurate data while making her argument in Parliament.

Defending the Centre's education reforms, he said, “This government has come up with some great initiatives for education," reported The Hindu. He added that the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 had expanded academic choices for students.

Highlighting the policy's flexibility, Singh said students now had entry and exit options across courses and could switch to disciplines such as literature or mathematics depending on their interests.

“The old system turned students into prisoners, but we have liberated them with the NEP,” Singh said, arguing that the reforms had given students greater freedom in shaping their academic careers.

Jitendra Singh rejects Rahul's firing allegations

Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh on Wednesday hit back at Rahul Gandhi while replying to the debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha, after the Leader of the Opposition was not allowed to complete his speech.

Questioning Rahul's conduct in the House, Singh said, "The LoP doesn't know the basic rules of Parliament. Even if he wants to call himself an idiot in this House, he can't." Referring to Rahul's defence of his earlier remarks, he added, "He says he wasn't using that word for anyone here. So was he calling our students idiots?"

Rejecting Rahul's allegations against the Union Home Minister, Singh said, "Rahul Gandhi doesn't know that orders to fire are given by Magistrates, not by any minister."

He also dismissed claims of excessive force against protesters, saying, "That aside, no shots were fired so the question of giving orders to fire doesn't arise at all. Gaurav Gogoi talked about police brutalities. Utmost restraint was exercised during the protests to ensure no casualties happened."

Rahul questions Amit Shah's role in student crackdown

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday defended his allegations against Union Home Minister Amit Shah, saying there were only two possible explanations for the alleged police action against students protesting the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak.

Speaking to reporters after a stormy debate in the House, Rahul said, "There can be two possible scenarios. One is that the Home Minister issued the order. The second is that the Home Minister was unaware that firing would take place. In the first case, he is culpable; in the second, he is incompetent—it has to be one of the two; there is no third possibility."

The remarks came after repeated confrontations in the Lok Sabha, where Treasury Bench members demanded that Rahul withdraw his allegations and the Speaker later ordered portions of his remarks to be expunged from the official record. The exchanges unfolded during the debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, which has been overshadowed by the Opposition's demand for accountability over the police response to student protests.

Questioning Shah's absence from the House, Rahul said, "He (Union HM Amit Shah) hasn't even come to the House. Why isn't he coming? The supposedly brave Home Minister of India, why isn't he in the House? If he hasn't done anything and issued no order, then he should simply clarify that he didn't issue the order." He added, "The main point is that I have the right to speak in Parliament, and that right must be granted to me."

Opposition walks out during Vande Mataram Bill debate

Opposition parties staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday during the discussion on the National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which seeks to extend legal protection to the national song Vande Mataram on par with the national anthem.

The proposed legislation would amend the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, making the intentional disruption of or insult to the rendition of Vande Mataram a punishable offence, similar to the existing provisions covering Jana Gana Mana. Under the current law, such offences can attract imprisonment of up to three years, a fine, or both.

The debate unfolded amid continuing friction between the government and the Opposition in the Monsoon Session. Opposition members walked out as the House considered the Bill, which the Centre says is intended to give the national song the same statutory protection as the national anthem, while critics have raised objections over the proposed expansion of criminal penalties.

Rahul's remarks on Amit Shah expunged

The Lok Sabha Secretariat expunged a portion of Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi's remarks relating to Union Home Minister Amit Shah from the official proceedings on Wednesday after a prolonged confrontation in the House, reported ANI.

The decision followed repeated objections from Treasury Bench members, who accused Rahul of making serious allegations against the Home Minister without producing supporting evidence. Speaker Om Birla had repeatedly cautioned Rahul against making unsubstantiated allegations against individuals and said any remarks lacking factual basis would not form part of the parliamentary record.

The controversy unfolded during the debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, which was repeatedly disrupted by protests from both the Treasury and Opposition benches. The exchanges eventually led to multiple adjournments.

Lok Sabha adjourned till 3 pm amid continuing uproar

The Lok Sabha was adjourned once again on Wednesday, this time till 3 p.m., after repeated disruptions stalled proceedings during the debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026.

The House witnessed sustained protests from both the Treasury and Opposition benches following a series of heated exchanges between Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and ruling alliance members over the handling of the NEET paper leak protests and allegations linked to the police action against students.

The adjournment came despite the government pushing for discussion on the proposed legislation, which seeks to strengthen penalties for examination-related fraud. The Bill has become the focal point of a broader political confrontation, with the Opposition demanding accountability over the NEET controversy while the Centre has defended the legislation as a key step to curb paper leaks. The repeated disruptions have continued to hamper legislative business during the ongoing Monsoon Session.

Dipke warns of fresh protest over student crackdown

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Wednesday accused the Centre of using excessive force against students protesting the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak and warned that the party would resume its agitation if the government failed to honour its commitments.

Speaking to ANI at Delhi airport, Dipke said, "The government should not do all this. These were students who were protesting for their future, protesting for their rights. They were not enjoying doing this." Referring to the July 20 police action, he added, "Using pellet guns on students as if they are terrorists? They should be ashamed! Were they terrorists? Amit Shah and Narendra Modi should be ashamed."

Asked whether the CJP would return to the streets, Dipke replied, "We will do it very soon. If the Government does not agree, does not mend ways, we will have to do it." He also brushed aside BJP MP Kangana Ranaut's comments on Gen Z, saying, "Who even takes her seriously?"

His remarks came a day after CJP chief spokesperson Saurav Das claimed the Centre had failed to provide written confirmation on withdrawing FIRs against student protesters despite earlier assurances. Backing the proposed agitation, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal said, "They should go ahead; we support them. Ministers had stated at a press conference before the nation that the FIR would be withdrawn--so why was that lie told?" The developments follow the Supreme Court's direction to release arrested protesters below 18 years of age, subject to certain conditions.