New Delhi, Jul 26: The Congress-led opposition is set to keep the pressure on the government in Parliament over the alleged police brutality against protesting students, demanding action against those responsible for the assault and an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sources said on Sunday.
However, the opposition’s floor strategy and its stand on the bill to amend the two-year-old anti-paper leak law will be finalised at the INDIA bloc meeting in Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge’s chamber in Parliament on Monday morning, they said.
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking accountability for the “barbaric assault” on peacefully protesting students and asking whether he approved the use of “lethal force”, including pellet guns.
In his letter, Gandhi said peaceful protest is crucial to any democracy, and it is the government’s responsibility to protect protestors and resolve their grievances through dialogue.
“Such brutal violence destroys every norm, and has outraged the country. Youth and students, the future of our country, are demanding answers and accountability. Their voice will be heard,” the former Congress chief said.
Sharing the letter, Congress general secretary, in-charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh said Gandhi had posed two questions to Shah: “As the Home Minister, did you authorise the use of lethal force, including pellet guns, against students? If not, who granted this authorisation? Are the individuals seen raining blows on students while dressed in plain clothes, police personnel or volunteers? Who authorised their deployment?”
The home minister must answer these crucial questions in Parliament tomorrow. The prime minister should apologise to the students,” Ramesh said in his post in Hindi.
The Congress has described Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as a victory for students but asserted that the prime minister must also apologise to the students.
Kharge has said it was now Modi’s turn to apologise and take strict action against all those who used lathis, batons and pellet guns against the agitating students.
After Pradhan’s resignation, Gandhi had also urged the prime minister to apologise to the students out of respect for the future of the country and for the “atrocities” committed on them during the agitation.
Gandhi said Pradhan’s resignation was a huge step towards rebuilding the education system, asserting that it was a “symbolic step because he was a symbol, but it is still a big step”.
“This is not the end. We still await the prime minister’s apology to our students,” Ramesh said, reiterating the demand for accountability for those responsible for the alleged excesses.
A fiery debate on the paper leak issue is on the cards if the government and opposition break the ongoing deadlock in both Houses of Parliament.
The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, has been circulated to the Lok Sabha members ahead of its introduction.
The bill says that individuals involved in paper leaks or unfair means in exams will get jail terms for a minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 10 years, and a fine of up to Rs 50 lakh.
For organised crimes, the bill proposes a minimum sentence of seven years and a fine of up to Rs 10 crore.
The existing law has provisions for a minimum of three to five years of imprisonment to curb cheating, while those involved in organised crimes of cheating face five to 10 years of imprisonment and a minimum fine of Rs 1 crore.
The bill has been listed for introduction, consideration and passage in the Lok Sabha on Monday. Bills are usually not listed for introduction and passage on the same day.
The government announced it was bringing in the proposed legislation after student protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) over the NEET paper leak issue gained momentum in recent days.
Protests by opposition parties over the NEET issue led to a washout of proceedings in the first week of the Parliament session.
The opposition’s stand on the new bill remains unclear.
Asked whether the Congress would support the proposed legislation, Gandhi had on Saturday said the party alone cannot take a call on it and the decision would be based on opposition consensus.
“The Congress party has a central principle. We will decide this during a meeting of opposition parties and a decision will be based on opposition consensus. In Parliament, that is our discipline, and that is our way of functioning,” he said.
The 2024 law was brought in when the government faced raging paper leak controversies. Before this legislation, there was no specific substantive law to deal with unfair means adopted or offences committed by various entities involved in the conduct of public examinations by the central government and its agencies.
In the wake of student protests, Modi had promised a law to deal with cases like the NEET-UG paper leak. He also said that cases of accused in such cases will be tried in fast-track courts.
The CJP on Saturday called off its 36-day agitation after the education minister resigned and the government accepted its other demands.(PTI)
