New Delhi: Congress leader and Lok Sabha Member of Parliament Priyanka Gandhi Vadra launched a scathing attack on the Union Government on Tuesday during a crucial debate on the Public Examinations Amendment Bill 2026. The proposed legislation aims to curb the widespread issue of paper leaks by introducing stricter penalties. However, Gandhi shifted the focus to the heavy handed police crackdown on students protesting the NEET UG 2026 examination irregularities.
Addressing the Lok Sabha, she questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah over the use of excessive force against young aspirants. She demanded accountability for unleashing tear gas, water cannons, and pellet guns on peaceful protesters. Emphasising that the issue transcends political boundaries, she sought answers on who authorised such brutal actions against innocent students demanding justice.
Highlighting the massive scale of the crisis, Gandhi presented alarming statistics on the floor of the House. She pointed out that over the past decade, 152 paper leaks have compromised the future of nearly 7.5 crore students. Despite the previous anti paper leak law enacted in 2024, she alleged that not a single mastermind has been convicted. Gandhi contrasted the national education budget of Rs 1.40 lakh crore with the staggering Rs 1.32 lakh crore spent annually by families of 22 lakh NEET aspirants, drawing a sharp comparison with the Rs 16 lakh crore debt waivers granted to wealthy industrialists.
The Congress leader also shared an emotional account of her visit to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, where she met the aggrieved mother of a female student battling for her life in the intensive care unit. She condemned the ruling party members for giving a grand welcome to the former Education Minister following his resignation, stating that such actions show a complete lack of empathy while families mourn the loss of their children to suicide driven by academic despair.
In a direct jibe at the Prime Minister, Gandhi advised him to change the angle of his heart rather than camera angles if he truly wishes to connect with the aware and vigilant Generation Z. She accused the government of stealing the dreams of the youth, stating that the continuous failure of the examination system has shattered public trust.
The fiery debate highlights the deep political divide over the handling of the education crisis. While the government insists the new amendment bill will restore the integrity of public examinations through stringent punishments, the opposition maintains that legislative changes alone cannot fix a broken system without addressing systemic corruption and fixing accountability at the highest levels.