Congress lines up big guns, including Rahul Gandhi on paper leak discussion, demands answers on police action on protestors

New Delhi [India], July 28 (ANI): The Congress party has lined up top leaders, including Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, KC Venugopal, and Gaurav Gogoi, to address the Lok Sabha here on Tuesday on 'The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026', according to INDIA bloc sources. The Lok Sabha is likely to begin the debate on the anti-paper leak Bill at 2 PM.
While signalling a readiness to participate in parliamentary deliberations over the anti-paper leak legislation, the Opposition underscored that its participation remains contingent on central assurances regarding recent law enforcement action against protesting students.
"We are neither against the paper leak bill nor discussion on it; we fully support any move to strengthen exams, but we need an answer on pellet guns and excessive use of force against protesting students," an INDIA bloc source stated.
The stance indicates a willing yet conditional approach from opposition ranks to engage in the debate, provided the government addresses safety and accountability concerns surrounding student demonstrations.
The discussion follows Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's allocation of dedicated parliamentary time to deliberate on the proposed legislation aimed at curbing examination malpractices nationwide.
Earlier, Floor leaders of various opposition parties held a key strategy meeting in the office of the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, at the Parliament House. The meeting of the opposition INDIA bloc leaders was aimed at chalk ingout a unified floor strategy and coordinate their approach across both Houses of Parliament--the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha--for the day's proceedings.
The Monsoon Session has seen regular adjournments as the Opposition continues its demand of discussion on police action against protesting students across the country.
Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh on Monday introduced the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha.
The Bill, aimed at strengthening the legal framework against paper leaks and examination malpractices, was introduced amid sloganeering and protest by the Opposition MPs over the police action against protesters across India. Especially, the issue of the use of AK-47 against protesters in Bihar jolted Parliament.
Introduced after widespread protests over the NEET-UG paper leak and resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the Bill proposes to enhance the punishment for persons resorting to unfair means by increasing the term of imprisonment to not less than five years, extendable up to ten years, as against the existing provision of imprisonment for a term of not less than three years, extendable up to five years.
Meanwhile, targeting the Centre, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari asserted that first, the government should answer the "brutality" against protesting students.
"Was Narendra Modi asleep for 12 years? Was his Govt asleep? Why was this not brought earlier? Today, the question is about brutality on youth Jantar; something that was not done even by the British has been done by the Modi Govt. Answer that first. They should respond to Rahul Gandhi's letter...Will we forgive such a guilty government and not demand an answer from them?" he said. (ANI)