Opposition MPs stage a protest in Lok Sabha during the ongoing Monsoon session of Parliament, in New Delhi, Friday, July 31. (Sansad TV via PTI Photo)
LIVE: Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill passed in LS; both Houses adjourned
Parliament witnessed disruptions as Opposition MPs raised the alleged police crackdown on student protesters and the alleged embezzlement of Ram Mandir donations
Parliament proceedings were disrupted on Friday (July 31) as the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned till 11 am on Monday amid noisy Opposition protests over the alleged police crackdown on students protesting against the NEET paper leak and the alleged Ayodhya Ram Mandir donation embezzlement row.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said the Opposition members disrupted the House proceedings in what he termed as a pre-planned manner. "Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is standing to ask a question, but Opposition members are not allowing Question Hour to proceed," he said.
Also read | Anti-paper leak bill proposes tougher punishment, omits deeper flaws in supply chain
In an apparent reference to suspended TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee, he said some members were roaming in the Parliament House complex in different getups. Birla said such actions lower the dignity of the house. He then adjourned the proceedings till noon.
Banerjee has been protesting against his suspension over use of undignified language against women MPs. He has been hanging photographs of 20 rebel TMC MPs who have joined a lesser-known Nationalist Citizens Party of India.
Separately, Samajwadi Party MPs have been protesting the alleged theft of donations at Ram Temple in Ayodhya. They have been carrying donation boxes and placards at the entrance of the Parliament House.
Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026, passed in LS
On Friday, the Lok Sabha passed the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026, amid Opposition protests over the police crackdown on students during the July 20 Parliament march, with the legislation being cleared without a debate.
The bill was taken up for consideration and passage after the House reassembled at noon with BJP MP Dilip Saikia in the Chair. It was passed by voice vote amid sloganeering by Opposition members, several of whom trooped into the Well demanding the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah in the House.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju expressed displeasure over the Opposition's refusal to participate in the debate, saying the government wanted a discussion on the "important Bill".
"It is unfortunate. Please do not repeat this in the future. People who sent you to Parliament will seek answers from you," Rijiju said, urging Opposition members to participate in debates on future legislation instead of creating disruptions.
CJP questions govt approach
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said there would be “no mercy” for the paper leak mafia and stressed the need for comprehensive reforms to the education system after Parliament passed a law introducing stricter punishments for exam fraud.
The Prime Minister’s remarks, made in a video message on Instagram, drew a sharp response from Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke, whose movement spearheaded the nationwide protests that culminated in the legislation. Responding to Modi's post, Dipke took a swipe at him, commenting, “Your skin is brighter than the country's future.”
Also read | How India's new anti-paper leak law can improve its exam structure
Dipke's remark comes amid a continuing confrontation between the CJP and the Centre over recurring examination paper leaks. The party has led weeks of protests, demanding sweeping reforms to the examination system, greater accountability and action against those responsible for repeated irregularities.
Even before Parliament passed the amendment bill, the CJP had criticised the proposed changes, arguing that they were aimed more at punishing those involved after a paper leak than preventing such incidents in the first place.
(With agency inputs)
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Live Updates
- 31 July 2026 5:37 PM IST
Meta faces Centre scrutiny following brief block of Modi post
Meta's global team, which has been summoned by the Centre after the social media company briefly restricted a Facebook post by Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently, will be questioned on issues around algorithmic bias and their role in public order, sources said on Friday.
Sources further said that Meta's global team is expected sometime in the middle of next week. They added the Meta team will be "categorically" asked to clarify issues around algorithmic bias, how their algorithm operates, and the company's role in public order.
The team will also appear before a parliamentary panel.
The move assumes significance as the government earlier this week summoned a top Meta executive after Modi's recent post addressing India's youth and promising stringent measures against paper leaks was briefly restricted on Facebook.
While the US-headquartered social media giant attributed the incident to a technical glitch and apologised, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology found the explanation "inadequate".
- 31 July 2026 5:31 PM IST
Kerala to drop cases against NEET protesters, says state Home Minister Chennithala
Kerala's United Democratic Front government has decided to withdraw all cases registered in connection with protests that the state witnessed recently in support of the NEET agitation in New Delhi, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday (July 31).
He said the decision was taken following requests received from Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi.
The Congress leader said several youth organisations and political parties had organised demonstrations across Kerala expressing solidarity with the protests over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination.
"Several cases were registered in connection with those protests. We received many requests seeking withdrawal of these cases. The chief minister forwarded all those representations to me, and I have directed the DGP not to proceed further with any of these cases," Chennithala said.
- 31 July 2026 5:25 PM IST
Pappu Yadav's skit on Parliament premises: INDIA bloc's boldest protest?
Independent MP Pappu Yadav turned Parliament's premises into a stage on Friday, donning saffron robes as a mock temple priest to stage a 'donation theft' skit, flanked by INDIA Bloc MPs, including Rahul Gandhi. Watch The Federal's Capital Beat video discussion on the same here.
- 31 July 2026 5:03 PM IST
Rijiju defends passing Bills amid Parliament disruptions
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday defended the government's decision to continue legislative business despite repeated disruptions in Parliament, saying the passage of bills could not be stalled by protests.
"Allegations are nothing new; the Congress party and others keep making them. Our main priority is to pass the listed bills and the business we have brought before Parliament. After all, the country must keep running," Rijiju said.
He said Parliament had been given enough time for discussion and urged the opposition not to claim later that legislation was passed without debate. "We have provided ample time," he said as quoted by ANI.
Commenting on Independent MP Pappu Yadav's protest inside the Parliament complex, Rijiju referred to the Speaker's earlier remarks.
"The Speaker has already clarified that this is not the place for protests involving changing costumes. One ought to show some seriousness; if you are a Member of Parliament, you should behave like one. This is not the place for theatrics," he said.
Rijiju also accused parties facing repeated electoral defeats of disrupting Parliament instead of engaging with voters.
"I believe that political parties that repeatedly lose elections should not disrupt Parliament by using others or the issue of students as a shield. If you work hard, the public will support you. But if you behave this way instead of working hard, where will the support come from? The public cannot take you seriously..." he said.
Stressing the need to complete legislative work, Rijiju said, "Every bill is important. For instance, we have to pass the bill regarding the increase in the number of Supreme Court judges."
- 31 July 2026 4:42 PM IST
FIR after student activist alleges assault over Modi remarks
Bengaluru Police have registered an FIR after a 19-year-old student linked to the All India Students' Association (AISA) alleged he was attacked by four unidentified men in Jalahalli on July 28 over comments about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The student told police that four masked men riding two two-wheelers intercepted him while he was returning home and struck his right leg with a wooden log before escaping.
AISA claimed the attackers were "suspected goons" from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and alleged they warned the student, "You dare to demand the resignation of Modi." The organisation said he had been taking part in protests seeking the resignation of then Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
"We have registered an FIR and efforts are being made to identify and nab the suspects involved in the incident. Further investigation is underway," a senior police officer said.
Rejecting the allegation, ABVP called AISA's claims "baseless" and said the FIR named only unidentified persons. It urged Bengaluru Police to conduct an impartial investigation and take legal action against those responsible.
- 31 July 2026 4:38 PM IST
VHP slams Opposition's Ram Temple protest in Parliament
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Friday condemned a protest staged by Independent MP Pappu Yadav and opposition lawmakers inside the Parliament complex over the alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, saying it offended Hindu religious sentiments.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi joined the demonstration, where MPs raised the slogan, "Chadhawa chor, gaddi chhodh". During the skit, Yadav, dressed in saffron robes, symbolically pocketed money placed in donation boxes by fellow MPs.
VHP international joint general secretary Surendra Jain called the protest "vulgar" and urged Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to act against those involved.
"The VHP is also considering legal action against them. We request the Lok Sabha speaker to take the strictest possible action against them so that no one dares insult Hindu faith in this manner," he said.
The Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti also criticised the protest and sought cancellation of the MPs' membership, alleging the demonstration insulted Sanatan Dharma and the saint community.
The organisation demanded an unconditional apology from those who participated in the protest and said Parliament should not be used for actions that hurt religious sentiments.
- 31 July 2026 4:05 PM IST
Odisha exam breach even as Centre passes ‘eyewash legislation’, says Congress
The Congress on Friday (July 31) lashed out at the Modi government over alleged sharing of an Odisha medical examination question paper on WhatsApp, saying merely mandating stronger punishments or designating courts as 'fast-track' is not sufficient, and a more honest conversation is needed on corruption in the education system.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said while the prime minister is working on his reel-making skills, and the Union government is passing its "eyewash legislation" on fast-track special courts, news of another paper leak is emerging from former Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan's home state Odisha.
A question paper of the Odisha University of Health Sciences' postgraduate examination was found circulating on WhatsApp, even while the exam was underway on 27th July, Ramesh said on X.
"The Congress' consistent stance - in 2024 and now in 2026 - has been that merely mandating stronger punishments for paper leaks or designating courts as 'fast-track' is not sufficient," the Congress general secretary (communications) said.
"We need to have a larger, more honest conversation on the commercialisation and corruption in our education system. That was the spirit of the student movement, one which the Modi Government must honour," he said.
Amid nationwide outrage over the alleged NEET paper leak, photographs of a question paper of the All-Odisha Medical PG Examination was found forwarded on a social media platform on July 27, when the theory exam of a subject of the 2023-26 batch PG students was underway, according to officials.
Some individuals have claimed that answers were circulated from certain numbers while the test was underway, they said. The matter came to light when a student of a private medical college in Bhubaneswar allegedly possessing the photographs of the question paper flagged the issue and disclosed that he had received it from a WhatsApp group formed by a student of MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur, an official said.
After learning about the incident in the evening of July 27, Odisha University of Health Sciences (OUHS) vice-chancellor Manas Ranjan Sahoo held a virtual meeting with principals of medical colleges where the PG medical exams were held. He suggested tightening security for the next exams, MKCG Medical College and Hospital dean-cum-principal Harekrushna Dalai said.
"It is not a question paper leak. Had the question paper come out before the exam and reached the students, we could have termed it a leak. But, in this case, the question paper came out from the exam hall," Dalai said.
"Despite our routine checking and disallowing of mobile phone sets in the exam hall, we are surprised to find such instances. We wonder what type of electronic devices were used to share images of the question paper," he added.
An internal investigation is underway to find out what device was used and how the paper was circulated, he said.
- 31 July 2026 3:24 PM IST
CJP stir: FIR against Noida woman over 'objectional' remarks on PM transferred to Delhi
A Zero FIR registered in Noida against a woman over alleged objectionable slogans targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the CJP-led protest at Jantar Mantar has been transferred to Delhi for further investigation, an officer aware of the matter said on Friday (July 31).The FIR was registered on July 29 on a complaint alleging that the woman used abusive language against Modi during the demonstration held over the NEET paper leak on July 23.According to the complaint, the alleged remarks lowered the dignity of the office of the prime minister and had the potential to create enmity in society and disturb public peace.The case has been registered under Sections 352 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace), 353(1) (public mischief) and 356(1) (criminal defamation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) as a Zero FIR and has now been transferred to Delhi Police, which has jurisdiction over the area where the alleged incident took place.A senior Delhi Police officer, requesting anonymity, said the police will examine the contents of the Zero FIR, discuss the matter internally and seek legal opinion before deciding the future course of the investigation after receiving the FIR copy. "The investigation will be conducted strictly in accordance with the law and all prescribed guidelines," the officer said.A source said that the transferred FIR would come to Parliament Street Police Station. - 31 July 2026 3:17 PM IST
'Misled House': KC Venugopal submits privilege motion notice against Union minister Jitendra Singh
Congress MP K C Venugopal on Friday (July 31) submitted a notice to move a privilege motion against Union Minister Jitendra Singh over his statement that "no firing took place" during the recent student protests.
He alleged that Singh deliberately provided incorrect information and misled the House.In the letter submitted to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Venugopal said he wants raise a privilege issue regarding a statement made by Jitendra Singh on the floor of the House on July 29, during a discussion on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026."While replying in the House, Dr Jitendra Singh categorically stated, 'Secondly, it has been repeatedly clarified that no firing took place at all, tear gas was used; so when no firing took place at all, the question of giving an order does not arise'," he said, giving an English translation of Singh's remarks.Venugopal, the Congress general secretary in-charge of organisation, said, "Contrary to the minister's assertions, firing did occur. The injured person is still under medication, with data available in the public domain. By falsely claiming on the floor of the House that no firing took place, the minister has knowingly and deliberately provided incorrect information to Parliament and misled the House."The letter flagged that misleading the House constitutes a breach of privilege and contempt of the House. "A minister is expected to verify facts before placing them on record in the supreme legislative body of the country," it said.In an X post, Venugopal said he has submitted a notice to move a privilege motion against Singh for "blatantly lying" in Parliament that "no firing took place" in response to the peaceful protests of students. "Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi ji met a pellet gun victim in front of the media. There are countless media reports documenting victims of such firing, and hospital records have emerged of victims suffering from injuries from such firings," Venugopal said.The government cannot get away with such "obvious falsehoods" in Parliament, he said, adding that there should be action taken against the minister. - 31 July 2026 3:11 PM IST
Raghav Chadha on NEET silence: 'My role has changed'
Raghav Chadha had earlier earned attention for speaking forcefully in Parliament on subjects ranging from expensive airport tea and samosas to the concerns of gig workers. That made his silence during the nationwide protests over the NEET paper leak a talking point, drawing criticism and mockery across social media.
Facing questions in the Rajya Sabha, Chadha finally addressed the issue. "Earlier, when I was in the Opposition, it was my job to raise questions, and I did it honestly. Now I am on the treasury benches, so my role has changed. My responsibility is no longer to ask questions but to provide solutions," he said as quoted by NDTV.
He insisted he was never chasing publicity, adding, "I had made a promise to myself that I would speak about the matter in Parliament only when we could bring a solution and when the system was being fixed."
Backing the new anti-paper leak law, Chadha said, "Just like cancer cannot be treated with Crocin, the paper leak menace cannot be controlled by mere soundbites." Addressing students, he added, "your anger is justified, your pain is real, your complaint against the system is genuine."
