By Dr. Gyan Pathak
After getting the first demand fulfilled – that is sacking of the Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan – the Opposition today demanded for Union Home Minister’s accountability on brutality unleashed on students during Cockroach Janata Party’s (CJP’s) March on Parliament on July 20. It caused repeated disruptions and adjournments of the proceedings of both the Houses of the Parliament of India today July 27, 2026.
In response to the late night video message of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 23, the Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has categorically stated on X, “Mr Modi, our students are demanding Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. Don’t insult their intelligence with this pathetic midnight video” listing the demands – “1. Sack Pradhan, 2. Punish those who beat students, and 3. Apologise.”
Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on July 25, and the first demand was fulfilled. Now, opposition has come to the second demand – Punish those who beat students”. The opposition strategy is that after the second demand too is fulfilled, they will come to the last demand – PM Narendra Modi must apologise. All this means that even though the CJP has called of their movement at Jantar Mantar on July 25, the issue will continue to haunt the PM Narendra Modi’s BJP led NDA government in the Parliament.
The first week of the Monsoon Session of the Parliament was already washed out without transaction of business, barring introduction of few legislations. July 27 was the first day of the second week, and the sixth day of the Monsoon session. Soon after the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha resumed, sloganeering and protests enforced the proceedings to come to halt. Both the Houses were adjourned amid disruptions until 12 PM.
It was only on July 26, the Congress leader and LoP in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had written a letter to the Union Minster of Home Amit Shah seeking accountability for the “barbaric assault on students who were peacefully protesting in Delhi” on July 20 demanding action on NEET paper leak including resignation of the Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan. He asked Mr Shah whether he had authorized the use of “lethal force.” Peaceful Protest is crucial to any democracy and it is the government’s responsibility to protect protesters and resolve their grievance through dialogue, he said. However, instead of being heard security forces had assaulted them with indiscriminate force, including lethal weapons, and tear gas.
“Hundreds have suffered serious injuries. Women students have been assaulted by policemen, including by deliberately targeting their private parts. Most shocking has been the use of lethal pellet guns,” Mr. Gandhi wrote. “As Home Minister, did you approve the use of lethal force, including pellet guns, against students? If not, who did? Are the people in plain clothes seen beating students with lathis police personnel or volunteers? Who authorised their deployment?” He had also threatened, “We will not accept our own forces shooting the future of India. So, that is going to be a major issue in Parliament.”
Oppositions allegations have already found credence in RAF chief’s admission of use of “excessive force”. RAF had also later barred use of pellet guns and electric shocks at Jantar Mantar, after the allegations surfaced.
In the meantime, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant while hearing a bunch of petitions against brutality unleashed on students said today July 27 that the right to peaceful and lawful protest is constitutionally protected and that mere agitation cannot justify a lathi-charge. He also observed, “If there is excess committed, it should be independently examined.”
In this backdrop, Modi government seems to have not way out except to assure the parliament to fix accountability of “brutality unleashed on students”.
TMC and Congress in Lok Sabha and DMK in both the Houses had moved adjournment motions demanding to discuss accountability.
On formation of high powered committee by PM Modi to reform the examination system was ridiculed by Congress general secretary and took a swipe at him, “Form a committee, distract the attention.”
When Lok Sabha began its proceeding at 11 PM, it had to be adjourned within minutes till 12 PM amid opposition’s sloganeering on use of brute force on students. The same happened in the Rajya Sabha with was also adjourned till 12 PM. Opposition MPs were demanding accountability of Union Home Minister.
Bothe the Houses resumed at 12 noon. Rajya Sabah again was disrupted and was adjourned till 2 PM. However, Union Minister Jitendra Singh introduced Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha amid massive protest by opposition. Nevertheless, within minutes it had to be adjourned till 2 PM. Opposition was demanding action against those responsible for assault on students.
As for the Bill is concerned, Congress MP said, “We had given notice opposing this Bill because this Bill is a ‘band-aid’. If the government were serious, it would have brought a detailed Bill to meet challenges in the education system. This is just to pacify the youth.”
The Bill proposes a minimum sentence of seven years for organized paper leaks accused and a fine upto Rs10 crore, and for unfair means 5 to 10 years of imprisonment and also a fine of up to Rs50 lakh.
Congress MP KC Venugopal demanded Union Home Minister’s appearance in the Parliament and explain the use of pellet guns in Delhi and AK-47s in Bihar on students during their protests over examination irregularities.
Lok Sabah resumed at 2 PM, but had to be adjourned again till 5 PM. Speaker Om Birla announced that the House will discuss the Bill when it would resume. Rajya Sabha also resumed at 2 PM, but was disrupted, which led to its adjournment till 3 PM. It resumed at three but again adjourned till 5:15 PM. Lok Sabha resumed at 5PM, but within minutes proceedings were adjourned for the day amidst opposition demand of statements from Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Rajya Sabha also resumed at 5:15 but soon had to be adjourned for the day. (IPA Service)
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