Rahul Gandhi Demands Amit Shah Sacking Over Student Protests

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has officially called for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to dismiss Home Minister Amit Shah, following a police crackdown on students protesting the NEET paper leak. Gandhi accused Shah of being either culpable or incompetent in his oversight of the July 20 Sansad Chalo march, where police allegedly used pellet guns and nail-laden lathis against demonstrators. The accusations have escalated tensions in Parliament, with Gandhi asserting he will refuse to apologize for his critique of the ministry's conduct.

Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Jitendra Singh have strongly rejected the allegations, demanding that Gandhi provide concrete proof or issue an apology. The government insists that the police maintained utmost restraint during the protests and categorically denied the use of bullets against the student group. The conflict has further intensified due to Gandhi’s vocal criticism of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, which he dismissed as an inadequate measure for addressing deeper systemic issues in India's education sector.

The confrontation reflects a significant political rift regarding educational governance and the role of the RSS in systemic reform. Gandhi claimed his previous direct correspondence to Amit Shah concerning the police force remained unanswered, a point he highlighted during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament. As the session progresses, the debate over the education bill and the government's handling of the protest appears poised to continue dominating the agenda. Public discourse remains sharply divided over whether the police response was a necessary security intervention or an excessive crackdown on student dissent.