New Delhi, July 29: Proceedings in the Lok Sabha witnessed tense moments following an intervention by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju against remarks made by Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi. The discussion, centered around the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, required Speaker Om Birla to intervene and expunge specific words from the record.
Addressing the Chair, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju declared, “Had Rahul Gandhi not used an unparliamentary word, nobody would have objected. I believe that he is using a word in the name of a student, but it is he who is using it… He cannot use an unparliamentary word. It should be expunged.”
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh similarly appealed to the Chair to restore order, stating, “I humbly request that the unparliamentary word used by the LoP be expunged and I urge everyone on my side to maintain silence and listen to him.”
The objections were sparked while Gandhi detailed a conversation with a young individual regarding educational values. Recounting the exchange, Gandhi affirmed, “She gave me the most beautiful answer. She said, ‘A student is someone who has an open mind and an open heart… The most important value of a student is humility.'” He further noted that the student explained how “the student respects the truth of all other living beings, all other human beings.”
Earlier in the session, Gandhi had focused on the widespread demonstrations over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak. Framing the demonstrations as a constructive reflection of young citizens, Gandhi maintained that the movement was “a deep expression” of India’s youth rather than an act of hostility, urging all sides to honor student concerns.
